Turning Over a New Leaf
by 2DKCR
Summary: When Kai became an airbender, he promised to turn a new leaf. He's gone far but isn't out of the woods yet. The one thing that's holding him back is that he hasn't confronted his past. When something unexpected occurs, Kai's forced to face his worst fear (his past), an old enemy, and protect the ones he loves. Can he do it? And, can he confess his feelings to Jinora? NEW CHARACTER!
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone! So I was kinda disappointed about season 4 having almost no Kai in it and NO KAINORA! I also thought they could've done some cool exploration into his character and his troubled past, especially since it turns out Kuvira was an orphan too. Oh well, can't change the series, so I made my own fanfic! Watch out for themes about past vs. future, peace/justice vs. revenge, and similar themes in the story. I wanna develop characters along with Kainora fluff and cuteness. Enough said...Please enjoy!**

Two years. It's been two years since avatar Korra was last seen, two years since the fateful battle with Zaheer, two years since the Red Lotus were defeated, two years since airbenders were rediscovered—and two years since the former thief joined the group.

They say change happens fast, and air temple island was no exception to that rule. Before Rohan could walk, the temples had gone from barren to bursting with bodies, the stables from one family to a countless breeding bisons. Tenzin's classes, which used to be consisted of his children and a few passing-by acolytes, now for the sake of order had to be split between him and the world's newest air bending master—Jinora. Despite the chaos that seemed to be engulfing the island, no one on could agree more that a new wave of peace and stability was spreading to the world. Slowly but surely, Kuvira was gluing together the shattered framework that was once the Earth Kingdom; the Red Lotus had been wiped out from existence, outside of prisons of course; and airbenders, in their newly-designed suits, were the era's new peacekeepers being dispatched throughout the nations. What could possibly disturb that?

_"Ikki! Meelo! You two are so dead!"_

_ "We're only dead if you beat us!"_

On the southern tip of the island, the three siblings flashed past onlookers and shrubs as each attempted to race inches in front of the other's air scooter. Their hair whipped back in the wind, as they squinted their eyes, struggling to see ahead of them; their hearts thrashed against their chests as the forests and temples and fellow airbenders disappeared behind them as they entered the last leg of their race, the beach, in one sixty-second slideshow. A burning sense of determination and a drive to win overcame each of them!

Jinora was barely ahead of Ikki and far behind Meelo—how she was, was an excellent question. She was an air bending master and the oldest sibling. How was race not over? How was she behind? And how did she get into all this? Despite the chaos of the moment, her logic and calm demeanor managed to provide an answer to all these questions: she, who was more serious and preoccupied with higher duties, didn't have time to play silly games of air-scooter with her immature siblings (meaning, she was a little out-of-practice), and how she got dragged into this, she blamed on herself.

The growing responsibilities of an air-bending master were piling on top of her—no doubt. There was no doubt she had come under a lot of pressure, expectation, and frustration—especially when the class she had to teach hosted two rebels. Keeping Ikki and Meelo's focus was like trying to teach a platypus-bear to juggle cabbages. Shutting the two up during class was harder than getting Ryu to agree to give tours of the spirit vines. Convincing the two that they weren't entitled to challenge her authority was like getting Kai to enjoy Tenzin's lectures.

Speaking of which, where was he?

Anyways, Jinora nevertheless wasn't about to let her authority be stripped without a fight, wasn't about to let her siblings start a rebellion in her class—even if it meant striking a deal with the two. Whether she should've agreed to an air-scooter race was now questionable.

Jinora was losing. She could see Meelo only yards away from the finish line, only yards away from victory, yards away from becoming "Meelo the Man." Jinora gave one last airblast, hoping to buy propel herself just an inch ahead. But it was useless. There was no way she could win, not now. And Meelo knew it.

"Get ready, Ladies! Cause you're about to—_GAHHH!_"

Meelo tumbled back, slamming into Ikki and barely missing Jinora. _What? _Meelo thought to himself. Something must've hit him, knocked him off his air-scooter. But before Meelo could contemplate or raise his head, the race was over: it wasn't the outcome anyone expected.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner!" Kai declared as he lifted Jinora's arm.

Ikki and Meelo eyes bulged in shock. Across the finish line, Kai stood triumphantly next to Jinora, holding her fist up to boast her victory. Jinora flashed the two a smirk before pulling her fist out of Kai's hand and playfully punching him in the shoulder. The two exchanged a knowing look before Meelo's waves of complaint began to pound them.

"You cheated! Flying in from above and air-blasting me off my scooter? That's not honorable behavior for a soldier!" Meelo protested.

"Neither is disrespecting your commanding officer," Kai replied playfully, "so I guess we're even."

"I try to uphold morals and principles as much as daddy, but I'm gonna to have to go with Kai on this one. Revenge is best served with an air-blast. A deal's a deal, soldier. I won the war; now you pay the price." Jinora remarked with a smile.

Meelo's face lit up like Mako's when Bolin lost his red scarf, but before Meelo could vent, Ikki interrupted him, "Forget about it. Let's just go get some of mom's sticky buns and play with Pokey. Let Jinora have fun with her _boyfriend_." With that, the two flew off, leaving Jinora and Kai the only ones on the beach.

"We're not dating!" Jinora yelled back at them.

She sighed and turned back to an awkward Kai, both of them blushing from the last comment. Kai rubbed the back of his neck, trying to avoid the subject. He noticed Otaku and a few other airbenders rushing to investigate the scene, along with the damage left behind. Jinora soon noticed too, and not wanting to be caught in an awkward question-and-answer session, raised her eyebrow at Kai, their little code. He nodded in response, and with that, the two spread open their glider-suits and blasted off.

**So how was it? It's my first fanfic, so I'm still learnig the ropes of it. I do plan on turning this into a full-fledged story, and I'll try to add chapters daily. This was just an intro chapter. The 2nd chapter will be as well, but it'll have a MORE KAINORA FLUFF and delve into the main plot by the end of it. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, so chapter 2! Lemme know about any suggestions, cuz I wanna make this story as good as it can be. I'll also try to keep the chapters short and digestable. **

Kai and Jinora landed in a grassy meadow overlooking the valley where they had first encountered the wild herd of bison, or more accurately, where Jinora had rescued Kai from them. The resident spirit animals greeted them with a nudges before flying off to their own activities. The towering rocks seemed to welcome the two regulars back. A breeze of wind billowed by, almost happy the two returned. Kai took a seat with Jinora soon following.

This was their spot.

For the past two years, Kai and Jinora had visited this exact spot every afternoon on every day. This was the spot where they'd told each other stories, pointed out cloud animals, and played games. This was the spot where Jinora had painstakingly taught Kai how to read after years of illiteracy on the streets. This was the spot where Kai would listen to Jinora's complaints about her siblings and about the stresses of being a master. Simply, this was the spot where they'd spend time together.

That time had become even more valuable in the recent months. With Jinora more busy than ever with air-bending-master duties, and Kai being dispatched to more missions, the hours they'd previously investing in each other began to dwindle. Additionally, ever since Tenzin became increasingly worried about their "connection" as Korra called it, he had taken careful steps to ensure the two saw each other less and less. Those precautions included switching Kai from Jinora's air-bending class to that of Tenzin's, sending Kai on random missions or errands during most of Jinora's breaks, and occasionally sending Ikki or Meelo to spy on the two. Luckily, neither the two had done anything particularly worthy of immediate intervention, like a kiss or a date, and at the very least, they still had their spot time together.

"Hey," Jinora said interrupting the silence, "thanks for helping me out back there."

"No problem. Besides, I gotta get more practice in this suit." Kai replied.

Jinora couldn't help but smile to herself, not just out of appreciation for his service but also out of amusement of the boy. There had always been something about Kai that set him apart from the rest of the new recruits and made her blush from the minute she met him. Maybe it was because he was the only one near her age, or maybe it was because of his Aang-like nature, or maybe it was because she found it cute how he would always stare at her and try to hold her hand—then unconvincingly deny it when she asked. She knew it was the only situation where he couldn't tell a good lie; then again, neither could Jinora when she did the same to him.

Romance antics aside, she was amazed how close they had become and how easily she could read Kai. She knew his personality like her own, knew all his patterns of behavior, and knew all his likes and dislikes (flattered that one of his likes was her). Moreover, she knew the progress he had made over the years. Trouble with the police was no longer a concern like it had been in the beginning of their adventures; he wasn't a legal liability anymore. Loyalty was no longer debatable; he had already proven it when he was shot out of the air by P'Li—a horrifying moment Jinora could never forget.

However, knowing Kai like a book meant she could see his shortcomings as well. Although he had vowed to turn over a new leaf—and had had largely kept that promise—she could easily tell he was having difficulty ridding himself of the last vestiges of it. His kleptomania still loomed over him like a cloud, and this was especially apparent when he was bored or interesting items were presented to him. Although he had managed to prevent Lin from having a one-on-one talk with him, he had not managed to prevent fights with his fellow airbenders.

Jinora knew he was ashamed of it, for it was tied to a chapter of his life he never wanted to revisit. That chapter of his life—the one where he was nothing but a petty thief, a manipulator, and an unwanted criminal—may as well been it's own horror novel in his mind. Kai had made leaps and lunges to try to keep that first chapter shut and erase it from the plot line, even if he wasn't the author. Jinora, despite being an avid reader of all genres and ages and authors, had made sure to stay away from it.

"So, how was your last mission?" She asked.

"Fine, but I'd hardly call them missions. Most of the time I'm just delivering machinery on Lefty to farms outside of the city or just backup for the police, which they hardly need. I'm glad I'm helping people, but it feels like I could be or should be doing more." Kai replied frustrated.

"Getting a bit cocky with your air-bending skills?" Jinora teased.

"Actually, I think I'm as good as I think I am," Kai responded playfully, "maybe not to have my tattoos right now, but I'll catch up to you."

"Surprisingly, that's a challenge I don't mind," Jinora giggled, "it get's a bit lonely at the top; it feels like I never get to be a kid anymore."

"I kinda get what you mean," Kai replied as he sent a small air-whip in Jinora's face, prompting back a stronger response.

Jinora felt a sense of joy trickle into her, the same one that she'd always experience when she was around Kai. It's what she loved about him: he was her rock, ready to anchor her down if she was caught in a storm. And she knew he felt the same way back. The more she thought about him, the more her cheeks began to flush. Suddenly, to prevent Kai from noticing, she pushed him backwards with one strong shove. Only in the process—she had knocked herself over and onto him.

"Owww," Kai began to complain, "why did you…hi."

Jinora's body lay flat against that of Kai's. She could feel every curve, every detail of Kai's now muscled chest (especially in Asami's skin-tight suits). She felt the warmth of his breath on her cheeks as their faces were only inches away. Jinora tried her best to avoid those beautiful, emerald-green eyes. She failed. And ultimately, this made her blush—the one she was trying to hide—even more apparent.

Kai, like Jinora, did nothing to change their position. It was awkward but a good kind of awkward. Kai cherished this intimacy with Jinora, the one he normally could only dream of—which he had. She shone brighter than the sun now in Kai's eyes, her blue arrow representing the endless sky above them. It took all his will _not_ to gently trace the mark of the master, _not_ to pull her into a hug, _not_ to press his lips on her own. This was the girl that had become his best friend over the years, and this was the girl who he hoped could be more than just that.

Kai had been wanting to ask her a question for the past few months, a question that _everyone _could tell he had had on his mind, a question that he had to get an answer to. He was brought back to a memory from two weeks ago: the conversation between him and Yung, before he and Daw left for a mission in the Earth Kingdom. The twenty-something-year-old man, Kai's next closest friend, left him with one phrase regarding his romance, _"wait 'til the time is right."_

Kai could see no better moment than this, when their physical proximity matched that of their emotional one. He swallowed, noticing how unusually dry his throat was, and began to stutter, "H-hey, Jin?"

"Yeah, Kai?" Jinora whispered softly, still lost in his eyes.

"I wanna ask you something—"

_"What is going on here?" _A voice boomed from across the meadow.

The two teenagers knew the voice all too well. The roar was enough to make Jinora pushed herself violently off of Kai—knocking the air out of him in the process; however, his recuperation didn't take long as he jumped up and steadied himself faster than a giant wasp could flap its wings. The two brushed the dust and grass off them, avoiding each other's glances. Beads of sweat trickled down their necks as they began to brainstorm how they were going to explain _that _to Tenzin.

Tenzin approached the two, towering over them and notably Kai. He said nothing, just flashed Kai the death stare. Jinora claimed that she merely tripped and knocked Kai over in the process; Tenzin knew it was a lie. The old airbender, who had had his share of unconventional romances, could see the "connection" between the two was manifesting itself once again. The boy was no criminal, but that didn't make him quite "eligible" for his little girl yet. As long as he was still fighting, Jinora wouldn't be rushing into the boy's arms any time soon.

As much as Tenzin wanted to interrogate the two further, he had more pressing issues to present, and the two picked up on his concern immediately.

"Jinora…and Kai, I'm afraid something bad has happened, and I'm going to need your help to fix it," Tenzin informed them sternly.

"What is it, daddy?" Jinora asked, concern now evident in her voice.

"It's about Yung and Daw," Tenzin said as he reached into his suit and pulled out a scroll for the two to read.

Jinora's eyes bulged in shock upon the news. Even Kai, whose reading skills were still far behind, knew that the scroll meant bad luck. They lifted their heads back towards Tenzin, who now clutched his forehead in frustration.

"They've been kidnapped. And we have to rescue them."

***Dramatic Music* So the main plotline's kinda been introduced. Again, feel free to review, especially if any of y'all have suggestions about story titles! I kinda suck at figuring those out lol :p**


	3. Chapter 3

**Alright! So chapter 3's gonna dive deeper into the plot and drop hints about what's gonna happen later on. Also, as a warning, this chapter's gonna be a bit darker. I'll try to add in some light-hearted moments though.**

Tenzin, Jinora, Kai, Lin, and Opal were gathered around the dining table, which had a map of the Earth Kingdom laid on it. Pema poured tea into each of their cups as Tenzin explained the crisis. The very image of the Earth Kingdom made Kai shudder.

"Two weeks ago I sent Yung and Daw to the Earth Kingdom on a mission. This afternoon, I received this scroll from a messaged hawk…"

"Your air-bender spies are my prisoners. If you want them back, come find them. I doubt you can…" Lin read out loud.

Attached to the ominous message as a picture of Yung and Daw and a masked shadow holding knifes to their throats, a picture no one had ever seen before.

Chills ran up everyone's spines. Especially Kai. He knew the dangers of the Earth Kingdom streets, but this was beyond his imagination. He shut his eyes, attempting to block the image out of his mind. Jinora, noticing this, placed her hand on Kai's shoulder for support—only to be coughed at by her father in correction.

Tenzin wasn't overjoyed to include Kai in on this meeting. With the recent outbreaks between the boy and Jinora, Tenzin would've preferred to recruit someone else with Kai's skill to assist them—someone who didn't have a crush on his daughter. But after hours of reasoning, and insistence from Pema, Tenzin accepted to include Kai. Besides, there was one other crucial advantage to taking the former earth nation thief.

"I don't want this news to get out and cause a panic, so I've only asked you here today to join me on this 'special task.' I know we charged Kuvira with stabilizing the Earth Kingdom, but given the circumstances, we can't wait for her to handle it. It's up to us." Tenzin explained.

"Who's gonna take over while we're gone?" Opal asked.

"Bumi and Pema will hold the fort here on the island." Tenzin replied.

"And Mako will handle police duties in Republic City," Lin added in.

"How long will we gone?" Jinora asked.

"To be honest, I don't know. But it's imperative we leave immediately." Tenzin replied.

The three teens nodded in compliance and awaited further information.

"You'll have to pack your things tonight. We leave at daybreak tomorrow morning. Don't tell anyone about this." Tenzin instructed.

"Wait! But how are we gonna find them? From the looks of the letter, it seems whoever has got Yung and Daw are pretty expertise at avoiding the officials." Opal questioned.

"I understand your concern," Tenzin acknowledged, "but we do have one advantage in this search."

Tenzin then turned to Kai, everyone else soon following. The boy had been staring at the ground, only half-listening to the conversation. There was something about going back to the Earth Kingdom that just didn't feel right, something ominous about the whole idea. Eventually, he noticed everyone staring at him, and turned his head nervously towards the old airbender.

"Kai, the area where I sent Yung and Daw to is the area you grew up in. No one knows it better than you do, and that's why you're here. We're depending on you to not just guide us around, but to guide us to Yung and Daw. Can you do that?" Tenzin asked.

Kai felt his heart slam into his chest. His back stuck up as if a rod had been stuck down it. His eyes bulged in shock. Beads of sweat streamed down his neck as he felt their eyes pierce into him. He had promised to never return to the Earth Kingdom, to his past. The word, "no" almost slipped out of his mouth instinctively. But with the lives of Yung and Daw hanging from the edge of of a cliff, and the special request by the old air-bending master, Kai felt as if the chapter he never wanted to open was being revisited.

"I'll do it," he sighed.

Later that night…

_Thunder 'boomed' and flashed in the night sky. The ground trembled as it began to crack and crumble, as a rift, a black abyss opened in its place. The darkness spread outwards, almost as if it were an infection. Barbed tentacles shot out of hole, searching for their next victim._

_Kai had no idea where he was, how he got there, and what would happen next. He didn't have time to think before he felt a searing pain in his calf. He fell to the ground and felt the tentacles pulled him into the abyss. Kai clawed at the ground, desperately trying to find something he could hold onto. He tried to air-swipe the tentacles, but it was useless!_

_Suddenly, in the distance came a shrill cry, "Kai!"_

_He immediately recognized the voice: Jinora. He tried to call back at her, tried to scream, but nothing came out. Soon, all he could see was the walls of the earth as he entered the hole. Panic washed over him; fear gripped him as tight as the tentacles did; the desire to run far away from this fate burned in him. As he began to brace himself, he heard a deep, dark, unsettling voice, that half-murmured and half-laughed at him. He heard it say, "I' am your monster."_

_Kai felt the tentacles dig into his face; they began to twist his neck in the face of monster, no matter how hard he tried to turn around, he couldn't! Before—_

"KAI!" Jinora shouted in his ear.

Kai shot up in his bed.

"What? W-where am I?" Kai stammered nervously.

"In our room, duh," Ryu answered, clearly annoyed.

Kai shook his head from left to right, examining his surroundings. He was in his dorm, the one he shared with the blond airbender. Kai was half-covered by the blankets on his bed with Jinora sitting next to him—relieved that she was. It was clearly night since the three of them were in their pajamas, and the moon outside the window glistened. Ryu had turned on their lamp, faintly lighting the room and his weary face. After realizing it had all been a dream, Kai let out a deep breath.

"Good thing you were able to wake him up 'cause I was about smash the lamp on his head," Ryu commented sarcastically.

"No problem, and if you wanna go back to bed—" Jinora began before she was cut off.

"Actually," Ryu began as he picked up his pillow, "I think I'll just room with Otaku tonight."

With that, he left the room and Kai and Jinora alone. The two remained silent: both of them were still trying to process what had happened. What was that? Kai thought to himself. He hardly got nightmares, let alone one this bad, and in fact—this hardly felt like a nightmare. It felt so real, as if it was trying to warn him about something, though he wasn't sure what.

"You okay?" Jinora asked softly, finally breaking the silence.

Kai wanted to say "yes,'' wanted to lie like he always used to. But considering how his "nightmare" was severe enough to get Ryu (the laziest airbender) to get up, walk all the way to the next building, and wake up Jinora, even Kai knew there was no way he could pull a lie off.

"I don't know, Jin," Kai replied.

Jinora, for once, wasn't sure how to respond. The two sat in the silence once more. Kai tried to brush off what had happened and instead, focus on the fact he was alone with Jinora. The thought of being alone together made him blush; private time with her was always a highlight for the both of them. Kai, not wanting his time with Jinora to end, finally spoke up.

"Can you tell me a story?" Kai asked, later chastising himself for how childish it sounded.

Jinora raised her eyebrow before smiling and gently nudging him in the shoulder, blushing herself in the process; he knew she could never resist story-telling. She told of the story of Avatar Wan, how his actions led to the infusion of Raava into the Avatar and how he part of the reason Kai had his air-bending. But most of all she explained his interactions with the spirits, which she more than happily went on and on about.

"He was the first one to discover that humans and spirits didn't have to be enemies; they could help each other. I guess it's kind hard to describe it as groundbreaking? Now it seems like everyone's so used to spirits being around like their just everyday animals—especially since Bum Ju acts like a pet. But there so much more. For Wan, they were the difference between life and death. If it weren't for them, he would've died in the Spirit Wilds." She explained.

"Why did they trust him if the relationship between humans and spirits was so bad? Why didn't they think he wasn't just another troublemaker?" Kai asked, for once, interested.

"I'm not sure. I guess it's because they saw something in him that was different, something honorable, something worth saving," Jinora answered.

Kai's mind stuck on her last phrase. Something worth saving, Kai thought to himself. He began to contemplate over the story, something about it catching his mind, something about it different than the hundreds of other stories Jinora had told him. It was almost as if it were meant for him. Before he could think any longer, he noticed an anxious-looking, eager-to-tell-another-story Jinora. Suddenly waking up, Kai asked for her to tell another one.

"Well," she began, having difficulty choosing from her vast mental collection, "how 'bout the moon?"

"What?" Kai asked.

"The moon," Jinora said as she pointed to the glowing ball outside the room's window, "a Northern Water Tribe girl named Yue, who had an unbreakable connection with the light spirit, became the moon, and the best part is that she was my granduncle, Sokka's, first girlfriend."

Kai jumped, surprising Jinora in the process. He suddenly remembered the question he had been wanting to ask, the one he was about to in their spot before Tenzin cut him off. The circumstance wasn't ideal given that Jinora had only come to get Kai out of his "predicament," but there was no better time. Eagerly turning towards Jinora Kai cleared his throat.

"You, uh, remember that question I wanted to ask you earlier today?" Kai asked.

"Yeah," Jinora replied slightly unsure.

"Well, I never got to ask it," Kai began, "I was wondering if we could go on a date?"

Jinora's eyes bulged in shock. Her heart stopped. The blood drained from her cheeks, turning them into a bright rosy pink. It was just so unexpected—well, not really. The two had harbored feelings for each other ever since the day they met: Jinora still remembered the blush that came over her when she offered to teach him air-bending. She wanted to say, "yes," wanted to light up Kai's emerald-green eyes and already-charismatic smile even more. But she couldn't.

"Kai, I just don't think we should," Jinora said wanting to punch herself as she did.

"Why not?" Kai asked.

"I'm a master now. I gotta focus on my duties. Plus, we hardly see each other as friends, let alone a long-distance relationship, and I want to stay friends." She explained.

"Well, who says you can't do both? We're still kids, or teens, now I guess. Come on, even your grandpa Aang started dating your grandma around our age." Kai protested.

"Kai, I have to go back. Good night." Jinora said as she exited the room.

Kai stared at the closed door, listening until her rapid footsteps faded into the distance. Afterwards, Kai slammed himself into his pillow and began berating himself, Stupid! Now how are you gonna fix this? Eventually after excessive fist pounding and palm-slapping, Kai was able to regain his composure. He drew the covers over him as he turned to his side. Gazing at the moon as sleep crept on him, Kai was left with three thoughts: the beautifully amazing Jinora, spirits, and the monster from his nightmare.

**Well, I hope that wasn't too dark. Again, feel free to review since I'm always looking to improve :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! So I made a mistake earlier, where I uploaded what was supposed to be chapter 5 as chapter 4. THIS is the real chapter 4. This chapter just kinda is a transition between leaving Air Temple Island and arriving at the Earth Kingdom. It also introduces the idea of spirits in this plot. Anyways, for those who read the Chapter 5, sorry about that.**

The sky was streaked with orange and gold when the team prepared to take off for the Earth Kingdom. Tenzin had decided to bring two sky bison: Oogi and Lefty. Lefty would carry the supplies, with Kai riding, while Oogi would transport the people. The team loaded Lefty, bid farewell to Pema and Rohan, and flew for the Earth Kingdom.

Kai flew alone on Lefty, isolated from the others. It was an hour past noon, but Kai had yet to speak a word. Even Lefty noticed his lack of praise from his master. The companion growled in concern, but Kai's only response was a sigh. He could think of nothing except for his broken promise—to never return to the Earth Kingdom. Apprehension veiled him during the entire flight while his thoughts pounded his head until it hurt. How are they gonna react? Do they even remember me? Kai simply had no idea what was coming, and a pit in his stomach formed at the thought of that. Despite that, he'd go, if not for Yung and Daw, then certainly for Jinora.

Meanwhile, Jinora tried to keep her mind focused on the conversation with Lin and Opal, instead of the charming airbender boy whom she turned down the night before. She could only try to not think about his charismatic smile, try to not glance over at him with pity, try to not blush at the thought of him. Snap out of it! She thought. Jinora shook her head and refocused on Lin.

"There's something strange about this letter they sent us. It's almost as if he's challenging us, but not exactly like that." Lin explained while rereading the letter.

"Maybe they want a ransom?" Opal offered.

"I've seen dozens of ransom letters in my work, but this just isn't typical." Lin replied.

"Guys! We're here!" Jinora announced as she pointed towards the town.

Kai heard from across the bison. He looked over his shoulder and squinted his eyes: the sight was worse than he thought. Black smoke crept towards the sky, an indication that electricity wasn't working anymore; the railroad leading into the town had been obliterated, fragments of steel strewn across the plateau, almost as if it had exploded; buildings had begun to crumble and erode, as if they were entering the last stage of their life. The town sat at the foothills of a monstrous mountain—which even appeared to stare at Kai somberly. Adjacent to town were small hills, the only green in an otherwise barren landscape.

A chill crept up Kai's back. Kai's thoughts were suddenly brought to his time, or many times, on the street: he remembered the cold, rainy nights he'd spend behind dumpsters, remembered the afternoons he'd spend hiding from angry shop-owners or citizens who he'd scammed, remembered the complete lack of trust he had in anyone, remembered the resentment he held towards every orphanage or family that had kicked him out.

His thoughts were interrupted by a powerful gust in his face. After regaining his composure, Kai realized it was Oogi who was descending down to the hills blow. Kai tugged Lefty's reins, instructing his bison to do the same.

Shortly, the two bison landed, weary from the flight. The team began unpacking and setting up camp. Kai and Jinora avoided eye contact, still uncomfortable with the event from the previous night. However, there was something else that seemed to bother the young master.

"What's wrong Jinora?" Opal asked.

"Something about this place is off…At least spiritually…I can't seem to feel the presence of any spirits." Jinora stated perplexed.

"They probably abandoned this place shortly after the Earth Kingdom fell into chaos, just like the governor of this town." Tenzin explained.

"Doesn't surprise me. The governor never really cared about his people; all he did was make empty promises—like how he promised he'd solve the orphan crisis. The spirits probably gave up on this place, and I don't blame them." Kai added in curtly.

The team froze at sudden comment by Kai but soon brushed it off and continued their work. After Tenzin set up telecommunications and sent a message to Pema, he faced the rest.

"It's time…Kai, lead the way."

**Okay, so I hope that chapter was alright! Again, sorry for the mixup.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys! So, I really appreciate the reviews so far; words can't describe how encouraging they are. Please continue to review, especially if you're confused about the plot or the purpose of something in the story or have any other concerns. As a warning, this chapter will tug at your heart-strings. Things are gonna get intense. This is also when I wanna dig more into Kai's character and the emotional baggage he's still carrying. Anyways…onto the story.**

Kai did not want to be back here. It was something he desperately wanted to deny was happening. _Now I know how Aang felt when he found out he was the avatar,_ Kai thought to himself.

Tension gripped Kai with every step he took. They had already passed one of Kai's old orphanages—where the overcrowding and neglect became so unbearable that he decided thievery on the streets was the better option. It had already been abandoned, but the sight of it alone was enough to make Kai's heart pound faster. In the distance, an old stage, where the governor speak to the masses, was situated further up the mountain. It's ornate decorations were gone, stolen by those desperate for money, and the once scarlet curtains which was supposed to symbolize life were now pale as death. Next to the stage was a gated community, it's whitewash graying and homes long abandoned. It was the community that housed the those who were wealthy enough to escape the poverty (including those who had adopted Kai).

Eventually, they arrived at the heart of the town. The pulse of business was faint, especially since the lifeline of the town (the roads) had been destroyed. Sleeping bags were crammed in every alleyway; stray pets roamed the streets. A pit formed in Kai's stomach, and the pity that had begun to tug at his conscious was soon replaced by fear. It was a fear that the residents would remember him as the boy who pick-pocketed and scammed them repeatedly.

Worst of all, it was a fear that he could encounter the victims of his greatest crime: the family that had kindly took him in only for him to steal their life savings.

The memories of them bursted out of the boxes he had stowed them away in, pounded at the sides of his brain, shouted at his consciousness. They invested hours into him, but he thought nothing of them. They had guarded him behind the protective walls of the wealthy community, guarded him behind walls that originally were not meant people of his status. The mother and father had tended to Kai's every need, yet it wasn't enough for him. And then there was the son. The son had offered—or rather begged because he adored Kai so much—to go hiking, camping, badger-mole spotting, and to be his best friend, his real first friend: Kai rejected all of them. The boy was so naive, so carefree, so ignorant, and so childish. Those characteristics were what made the boy able to love life and Kai jealous and resentful of him.

"Guys! Let's ask that man by the tea shop if he knows anything." Opal suggested, breaking Kai's train of thought.

The others approached a middle-aged man with Kai trailing behind. Tenzin greeted him friendlily, and the man returned with a cautious bow. Despite this, he didn't decline an interview with the old master. During the questioning, Kai examined the features of the man. Something about him was familiar, but Kai couldn't quite figure out what it was until the end of the interview. When he did, the boy gasped in shock, attracting attention from the person he least wanted to.

"After the Earth Queen fell, this place went into disarray just like all the others. The governor fled, and the people were left on their own. The people who could get out, got out. The rest of us are pretty much stuck here. Petty thieves and bandits multiplied. We tried to take them on, but then, everything took a turn for the worst. All the thieves and individual crime groups—disappeared." The man recounted.

"Then why does this place still look like a mess?" Lin questioned.

"They didn't disappear like how you think. They disappeared as individuals and emerged as one crime group! There's one group that has been causing all this turmoil, one group that blew up the railroads, ransacked every citizen, and took out the entire police force. They've got us trapped here. We can't leave this town because all that's out there is miles and miles of wilderness. But if we stay, we just get beat up by them every day." The man explained.

"Do you have any further information on this group?" Lin asked.

"No, I don't. Nobody does! We're still confused about their origins, about how they suddenly became so powerful, and most of all—their leadership. I never could've thought things could become so bad within just a couple of years. I used to be head of a Dai Li squad! Now look at me! If I could go back in time I swear I'd…Who is that?"

The man stood up, pushed pass Tenzin and Lin, and stopped in front of Kai. Kai felt beads of sweat trickle down his neck as the man towered over him and glared at him menacingly. After what seemed to be an eternity of examining Kai's face, the man gasped.

"You. You were that punk that got me fired!" The man shouted as he moved towards Kai.

The residents lifted their weary heads up, away from their previous dull activity towards the simmering situation. Tenzin and the others watched in fear as they awaited Kai's response.

"I had a picture of you on my desk for six months! You were the one that stole that poor family's life savings. You were the one that had my squad on their toes trying to catch you. You were the one that made me look like a fool! To be the head of a Dai Li squad that couldn't capture a kid? My boss practically fire-bended when he found out my team let you off the hook! But I was the one that was blamed, even though I wasn't there when my team let you go! You cost me my job and my life! You filthy, little street urchin!" The man yelled.

Not thinking, Kai did what his impulse, his anger was screaming at him to do: he punched the man, sending him stumbling backwards. The team gasped in shock at Kai's sudden assault.

Things were about to get ugly.

Soon, support began to arrive for the fallen man. The town residents circled closer and closer into Kai, all slandering him as they did.

"That's the criminal that scammed me for a full summer!"

"That's the thief who robbed my shop!"

"What's he doing in an air-nation suit?"

The angry voices began to pound into Kai's head like a waterfall. The air seemed to grown thin as the space between him and the angry mob closed. Kai felt anger boil inside him hotter and hotter, as if a pot of oil was about to spill over and burn everyone surrounding it. And Kai didn't care if it did.

With one move, Kai unleashed an air-blast so powerful that it knocked over an entire row of protesters! He moved to take out the rest, one by one, air-swipe by air-swipe. The residents began to fall, and those that tried to get back up were responded with an air-kick. Kai felt a battle rage within him, and he wasn't afraid to let others get caught in the crossfire.

"You can't just insult me and get away! Who do you think you are? You people threw me in orphanages! You people left me on the streets! You people abandoned me!" Kai roared.

Soon, the majority of town residents were retreating. Those that strayed further behind were met by air-blasts, and if they were close enough, a real punch in the face. The former Dai Li head had been trampled over in the chaos, his ankle fractured, unable to escape. Kai smelled this weakness like a saber-tooth moose-lion, and he approached the man as if it were prey.

"Okay! I surrender. Please, don't—"

The man was cut off as Kai threw an air-whip at him.

Then another,

and another,

and another,

until…

"Kai! That's enough"

Rock shot up from the ground and encased him. Kai squirmed around trying to find a crack, but knowing the mastery Lin had over the element, he soon abandoned his attempts. He felt his heart pace slow down and the adrenaline rush subsided. His vision was blurry, but he could still make out Opal trying to help the man up, could still make out Tenzin and Lin's disapproving stares, and worst of all—he could make out Jinora turning away in disappointment.

Upon realizing what he had just done, Kai dipped his head in shame. Tenzin approached trapped-boy and sighed.

"An airbender is a pacifist; an airbender does not use excessive force; an airbender is not vengeful," Tenzin reprimanded.

Kai said nothing.

"I think it's time we head back to camp."

**Not gonna lie, I feel pretty bad about doing that to Kai. BUT I assure you all this sad stuff has a purpose in the end and plays a role in his growth. As they say, things get worse before they get better. I plan to upload the next chapter soon, but it'll probably be short. Again, please keep on reviewing!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Alright, so this is the new chapter! In the previous chapter, we kinda saw how Kai still has some emotional issues to work out and character-building to do. This chapter will kinda go along but show more of what it does to his relationships. Anyways…onto the story.**

Kai didn't look anyone in the eye for the rest of the day; Kai didn't eat with the rest of the team; Kai didn't want to help cook; Kai was alone. He treaded around camp, far away enough so that he wouldn't have to face the other airbenders—namely Jinora—but never strayed too far that he could be kidnapped by old enemies.

Night had fallen. The sun was well past the horizon, and the only illumination came from the lanterns of the camp. Kai sat on top of the hill. He had tried to meditate, to find some inner peace but didn't have much luck. At last, he sighed, stood, and headed back to the camp.

When he arrived, he was surprised. No one was out. No one was there yelling at him for staying past curfew. Something's going on, Kai thought to himself. There was only one tent that glowed orange in the black night, the only sign of life in the camp. Suspicion crawled over Kai as he approached the tent furtively. He crouched down behind a boulder near it so that no one could see his shadow. And he listened carefully.

_"I'm telling you, we've got to send the kid back." _

_"I'm not sure if that's a good idea, Aunt Lin. We could use some extra help." _

_"But does it have to be from him, Opal? You saw the way he acted this afternoon. Normally, I don't buy into you air bender's 'non-aggression' idea, but seeing as to how it nearly cost us our heads today, I say he runs too big of a risk." _

_"She's right. Kai is clearly unable to control his emotions."_

_"Don't you think the residents went a bit overboard?"_

_"But they didn't physically assault him; Kai assaulted them. In my police work, I've been to dozens of crime-infested areas. The citizens there all seem to be on guard, ready to lash out at anyone they see. That should make us—Kai—more cautious of his actions, which was quite the opposite today." _

_"She's right. If he acts out again, the air nation could lose its reputation here. We have to think of the bigger picture, and I'm sorry to say Kai doesn't seem to have much of a role in it."_

_"That's, actually, a good point. What do you think, Jinora?"_

_"I…I…I agree." _

_"Then it's settled. We're sending Kai home."_

Tenzin nodded from inside the tent, only before noticing the airbender boy standing at the entrance. Tenzin's eyes bulged in shock, and soon everyone else's followed.

Especially Jinora's.

Kai's heart stopped when he heard that first sentence, but it was shattered when he heard Jinora say it. He stood at the entrance, staring at the four sitting in a circle with a mix of guilt and anger. Kai tried to maintain a calm voice, but it was apparent to everyone how he felt.

"Y—you don't trust me do you? You don't think I belong here!" Kai shouted painfully.

Tenzin stood up and walked over to Kai.

"Kai, we value you as much the next person here," Tenzin responded.

"But you don't trust me, do you?" Kai responded caustically.

"Kid! Our priority is finding Yung and Daw." Lin bursted in impatiently.

"And I can help! I know this area the best. You even said it before. I know I overreacted today; it's just that this place brings bad memories and…please don't send me back!" Kai pleaded.

"Kai, it's already been decided," Opal muttered reluctantly.

Kai stared at the four. He stared at them for what seemed like infinity. When Tenzin took a step towards him, Kai unleashed an air blast—buying him enough time to get a head start run.

Kai ran as fast as an eel-hound. Tears streamed down his face. His heart throbbed, and he was thrown back to his childhood—back when the orphanage and myriad families kicked him back to the streets, when they told him they didn't want him anymore. Their plan to send him home pained him almost as much as his orphan-status did.

He was lost in his thoughts until an he felt the ground disappear beneath him. He felt him free fall in the air, felt his body tumble down the dark hillside, and felt himself land on the dusty ground. Kai stood up, brushed the dirt off of him, and wiped the tears off his face. He had no idea where to go, what to do, or how to feel.

But he didn't have much time to think because before he could take one step, he felt metal chains wrap around his head and spray creep into his lungs, making him fade into the blackness.

**So hopefully that was alright. Since it's a bit short, I'll try to upload the next chapter later today. That last sentence prepares for the introduction of the NEW CHARACTER in the next chapter. As always, feel free to review; I appreciate the feedback. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Alright guys, so here's the new chapter! Things are gonna get intense and interesting. Watch out for those subtle details cuz they'll hint at what's to come. Plus, our new character will be introduced here. With that said, onto the story!**

When Kai woke up, he didn't have the slightest clue where he was.

The room was dimly-lit, with only torches illuminating the walls The walls were made of compacted dirt and rock, a clear indicator he'd been taken underground (again). Surrounding him, were a horde of girls and boys of all ages, some with filthy faces and others with rags for clothes.

They eyed him with suspicion, with scorn, with curiosity—talking amongst themselves. Kai couldn't count how many of them there were, but there were enough of them to make him leap off his feet the minute he regained consciousness. He took a defensive stand, ready to ready to fight for his life, ready to pound some information out of them.

"Where am? Who are you? Wat do you want? Start talking!" Kai demanded.

"Relax, Kai. All will be clear soon." A voice emanated from behind.

The room fell silent. A figure began to emerge from the shadows. The conglomeration of bodies seemed to not only make way for but disappear into the darkness as the figure stepped forward. Kai struggled to see in the dim light but readied himself to attack. At last, it emerged.

A teenager.

No, not just a teenager.

The adolescent seemed vaguely familiar. He sported a gray shirt which was properly buttoned at the sides, solid black pants, and black gloves that seemed to mask clenched fists—clothing that seemed too up-scale compared to his subjects. He had skin lighter than the average Earth Kingdom citizen, and black hair which was carefully slicked to the sides. His lips seemed to curve into a slight smile, a smirk, and his eyebrow was cocked towards Kai.

"How do you know my name?" Kai asked.

"Don't tell me you don't remember me," the teen said as he moved closer towards Kai, "after all…we were brothers once."

Kai's eyes bulged at the last sentence. Could it be? After years of isolation, they had met again. Kai's body became encased in ice as he realized that it really was the son, the long-lost-adoptive brother.

"Chou?" Kai asked out of breath.

"In the flesh." He responded with a chuckle.

"Chou!" Kai exclaimed in excitement as he wrapped his arms around the adolescent.

The embrace heartened Kai, but it was a bit cold at the same time. Kai didn't think anything of it at the moment since he was just pleasantly surprised to be reunited. After the incident years ago, Kai had wondered day after day after day whether the family would still remember him, his deed, or even his name. Obviously, they did.

Kai came to realize the spontaneity of the hug; it was something that would have never occurred before. Chou, too, picked up on the hint, and he smiled slyly in response. Kai released the mysterious brother, trying to brush it off. Suddenly, Kai remembered his predicament.

"So where am I? And how—" Kai began as he was cut off.

"You've got questions, I'm sure…Come on…I'll give you a tour of our home." Chou responded as he wrapped his arm around Kai's shoulders (rather forcefully) and led him down the tunnel.

A scrawny boy approached Chou and handed him a lantern. Chou flashed him some secretive stare. The boy nodded in understanding before scrambling off. Kai noticed this strange exchange, but before he could ask, Chou began his narration.

"As you can see, this is a series of tunnels. These tunnels go under the town and its surrounding areas—including that monster of a mountain. They cut off right around where that railroad was blown up, rather unexpectedly. We dug these tunnels ourselves: I began them while the rest finished them off…In the sides, we've carved out holes for dorms…If you go down this corridor, you'll get to the foods area, equip with a kitchen, garden, and dining room…See that giant tunnel to your left? That leads to my headquarters."

"What about those tunnels to the right?" Kai asked inquisitively.

"Oh those? Let's just say you don't have to worry about them." Chou chuckled.

A chill ran up across Kai's spine. _Must be cold down here,_ Kai thought. Chou continued to lead Kai down corridor by corridor, passing glaring boys as they did. After informing Kai Chou was leading him to his room, Kai bursted the question he had been holding back the entire trip.

"Why, Chou? Why do this? I'm just a bit—"

"Curious? I have many reasons, but they can be summed up in one word: family." He answered.

"Family?" Kai repeated still unclear.

"Yes, Kai. I wanted to create a family—like the one we had. Only, it would be more tailored to, uh, these kids' needs. You see, after the fall of the Earth Queen, this town went into disarray, and the orphanage shut down. All the boys and girls were left to fend for themselves. And I was tired of seeing children like me suffer above ground. So I created a home for them, safe from the outside, where we could sustain ourselves. Now, we still go above ground to conduct our _basic operations_, but not enough to risk our safety. Make sense?" Chou asked after explaining.

"Yeah, it does, except one part: you said 'we.' As in, you're just like them? But what about, you know, your par…Are you an—"

"Orphan…Well, I guess you had to find out eventually." Chou sighed as he leaned face forward against the wall in pain.

Kai placed his hand over Chou's shoulder for solace and encouraged him to continue.

Chou smiled.

"Well, you see, after you left, tragedy struck. The streets were unforgiving, and a group of thugs took them away from me…I've been on my own ever since." Chou recanted solemnly.

"I'm really sorry…I had no idea." Kai apologized, shaming himself as he did.

"What's done is done. I'll tell you more later. But what's important you know is that that event was what changed me. After that event, I found a new life goal! One, that I would not and will not ever give up on." Chou finished.

Something changed in Chou's facial expression then, something subtle, but what? Kai squinted, trying to examine it without raising suspicion. It seemed so unlike the Chou he had known. Then again, Kai had been gone for a while, and many things had changed since then. However, Kai's mind was still reeling, still recovering from the truth that had just stunned him. They're dead, Kai thought to himself. Before Kai could ask Chou another question, Kai felt the ground rumble beneath them.

_Boom!_

The sound ricocheted through Kai's ears and into his brain as pebbles pelted them from above. A ringing lingered in Kai's ears for a few moments and ebbed as the ground shakes did. What was that? Kai wondered to himself.

Chou noticed Kai staring off into the direction of the noise, and not letting a moment pass, he addressed Kai.

"I wouldn't worry about that. Seismic activity becomes a bit more, uh, tangible the further we go down…Look to your right. This will be your room."

Chou led Kai inside the hole. It contained nothing but a mere mat and stand to store his clothes in—not that he had any besides the suit. Kai took a seat on the mat and let a breath out. For so long he had avoided the notion of his former family. Now, a part of him wished he'd done that better, but the other could not remained separated from Chou, as if he was part of Kai.

Chou smiled slyly as he closed the curtain.

"It's good to have you back Kai. I've got questions for you myself, especially concerning your new outfit."

With that, Chou closed the curtain and left Kai in the darkness

**So how was that? The story's gonna move faster from this point on. As always, feel free to review, especially if there's any confusion in the story or something I could make better. Until the next chapter, peace.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi everyone! Sorry this chapter took a bit longer to upload, but don't worry, I'll be sure to upload a chapter a day! This chapter's gonna dig a little more into Jinora and kinda her internal-struggles. It's got a bit more Kainorra cuteness too so…hope you enjoy!**

Jinora gazed at the town as she set hay in front of Lefty, her mind once again wandering off to Kai. She stood at the top of the hill, a breeze billowing by, reminding her of her lost. It was silent, too silent without Kai. He would've never let her get bored, would've never let her feel so ashamed of herself. She closed her eyes and sighed, reprimanding herself for driving him away. Soon, she felt a nudge in her side followed by a solemn murmur from the bison.

"I miss him too, Lefty," Jinora whispered to the beast as she rubbed its nose.

_"Thinking about Kai again aren't you?" _

Jinora jumped.

Soon, Opal emerged from the side of the enormous beast, her eyes full of sympathy for the troubled master. She strolled over to Jinora, took a seat, and motioned for the youth to sit. Reluctantly, Jinora did as followed.

Since the girls had met two years ago, Jinora had come to think of Opal as the older sister she never had. Opal, who she could complain to, nag at, poke fun of, and simply be an annoying little sister to—instead of having to deal with it all herself—gave Jinora the opportunity to feel like a kid. While Jinora may have advised her in the ways of air-bending, it was Opal who advised Jinora in social matters—particularly those concerning boys. Opal was someone Jinora could confide in, could connect with, and could talk to when her primary rock was gone.

"Still no sign of him?" Opal asked sympathetically.

"No," Jinora replied solemnly as she shook her head.

"Can't you use your astral projection to find him?" Opal questioned.

"No, I can't. There's something off about this place spiritually, remember? Plus, I kinda have to be able to keep a calm mind to do it." Jinora admitted.

Opal cocked her eyebrow at Jinora. Since when was she ever panicked? Opal had seen Jinora rise above the adults during the battle with Zaheer; how was it possible she was able to keep calm in the face of a terrorist but not when Kai went missing for a day? Sensing Jinora's disquietude, Opal continued to console her.

"We'll find him. Besides, Kai knows this place better than anyone. He could be safe and just hiding from us." Opal offered.

"I know, and that's what's so bad!" Jinora exclaimed.

"Uh, can you repeat that?" Opal asked, clearly confused.

Jinora felt a wave of guilt wash over her, a torrent of emotions whirl in her. She buried her face in her hands, wanting to hide from Opal and from the fact he was gone. Soon, she felt a warm hand on her shoulder, encouraging her to continue. Jinora sighed.

"What if he is just hiding from us like you said? It means he's mad at us!" Jinora stated.

"Well, I get Kai's still a bit hot-headed and prone to get payback, but I don't see—"

"You don't understand! What if he's mad at me?" Jinora asked louder than before.

Shock gripped Opal; she'd never seen Jinora this distressed before.

"Why would he—"

"Because I agreed to send him home! I agreed with you guys. I'm supposed to be his supporter, but I backstabbed him. I didn't want to send him home! I just went along with it because it seemed like the '_mastery_' thing to do. It was probably my comment that made him run away, and now he's gone and we don't know if or when he'll come back and—and…I just wish he was here!" Jinora exclaimed, trying to hold back her river of tears.

Opal slid a bit closer to Jinora. Jinora felt Opal's arm nudge hers. She took a deep breath and accepted Opal's offer of comfort.

"Sorry if that sounded really selfish," Jinora apologized.

"Jinora, it's okay to want something for yourself every now and then. Especially when it comes to boys." Opal stated as she nudged Jinora.

A slight smile flashed on her lips before disappearing as quickly as they appeared.

"There's more to this story than that," Jinora responded.

"What's that?" Opal asked.

"The night before, Kai asked me out on a date…And I rejected him." Jinora informed her.

"Wait! What? Why? Come one, I know you two have a connection, and I mean—"

"Because I'm an air-bending _master_! I'm busy with teaching, and he's off on missions all the time. Long-distance relationships don't work. I can't neglect my responsibilities to the air-nation. How do I chose between air-nation and him?" Jinora asked.

Opal took a deep breath. Before her eyes, Jinora transformed into a young Opal, too hesitant to be free and do what she loved because of the false fear of failing her family and friends. She smiled and looked Jinora in the eye.

"Jinora, Kai likes you—a lot—and he won't think any less of you for this." Opal explained.

"You think so?" Jinora asked, blushing at the prospect.

"For sure…Besides, I know how you feel right now. To be honest, keeping a long-distance relationship with Bolin, especially after my mom's fallout with Kuvira, has been hard. Sometimes, I wish we weren't dating in the first place. But then I realize—it's all about _balance_, keeping up with our responsibilities to our jobs and ourselves without sacrificing one for another. You can try to avoid it, but you know what Tenzin says, 'air is the path of least resistance and the element of freedom.' I couldn't stay broken-up with Bolin if I tried." Opal reassured Jinora.

"You know," Jinora said teasingly, "you're starting to sound like an air-bending master."

"Ha! I don't know if I'm there yet…Also, one last thing about Kai: you don't have to choose between him and the air nation—he's already a part of it." Opal stated.

The words struck a chord within Jinora's heart and reverberated outwards.

"He's just gotta realize it is all…" Opal trailed off.

**So I hope that chapter was alright! The plot will start moving even faster starting from here. Agiain, feel free to review; I do read them and appreciate the feedback :) **


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello again! So this chapter's gonna be a big revealer of the premonitions or bad feelings anyone's had to this point. Kai makes a discovery, and it'll prepare for an intense but cute Kainorra scene for the next chapter. Well, don't wanna hold up the story so…Onward!**

_"Kai, I want to show you something." _

_The father stood in the corner of the living room. He knelt down, pulled out a safe from beneath a secret compartment in the wooden floor, and motioned for Kai to come over. The boy's curiosity piqued: people only kept money in safes. Kai dashed over, listening to his every word, watching his every finger movement on the lock. At last, the door popped open and unveiled a treasure that shone in Kai's eyes._

_All the jewels, coins, and expensive items—all in an assorted array of gold, red, and blue—flashed at Kai. The boy fell into its spell, his mind forever trapped by its sight. The father smiled at Kai's reaction._

_"These are the family life savings. They're yours too, since you're part of the family."_

_"Uh huh," Kai whispered as a scheme began to form in his mind, "that's just great."_

_The day passed, and night fell. It was only under the cover of darkness could Kai execute his plan. Sure that the family was asleep, Kai made his way from the bedroom he shared with Chou and down to the living room. Trying to keep quiet, he crept over towards the corner and pulled the safe out of the floor. Pressing his ear against the safe, he rotated the combinations around until he heard a 'click.' As he swung the sack around his shoulder, he heard a voice call out. _

_"Kai?" _

_His heart froze as he turned his head. Standing by the stairwell was the family, draped in their nightgowns and clear concerned. Chou's face was crushed. Kai sighed, stood up—with the sack still tight in his grip—and began to walk over to the family, his head dipped as if in shame. But just as he passed the dining table, his eyebrow cocked, and Kai—out of nowhere—grabbed a chair and swung it towards the group._

_The chair hit the father perfectly in the stomach, shifting his wife's attention from Kai to her injured husband. It was Kai's only hope of getting away. As the house filled with the cries of the adults, Kai sprinted towards the window. He put one foot in front of the other until he reached it; Kai flung the window open, climbed half-way through it, and then felt a tug on his leg. _

_He turned back, and there was Chou. The boy's eyes were fresh with pain, as if asking Kai 'why would you do this?' Betrayal was evident, and for a fleeting moment, Kai felt a sharp pain inside him. Deep down, he knew what he was doing was wrong. _

_But Kai brushed it off._

_Without thinking and out of desperation, Kai clenched his fist and struck Chou in the jaw. He heard the boy tumble backwards, both physically and emotionally scarred for life._

_But Kai couldn't bring himself to look back. _

_He ran and ran as fast as he could, away from the house, away from the community, and away from all he'd done wrong. Why should Kai care? Why should he feel bad? They were nothing but phonies; he'd never bought their "perfect, happy family" act. After all, he'd been to so many and seen so many fail. Besides, he couldn't stand how ignorant they were about the struggles outside their perfectly gated, wealthy community. Most of all, he had long given up on the hope that any family would truly value him. What made them any different?_

_Outside, rain began to pour down. Something was wrong. Kai stopped and no longer recognized his surroundings. Then, the earth 'cracked' and fractured beneath him; a dark abyss was all he saw. Tentacles shot out and wrapped themselves around Kai, pulling him into the hole. This fate seemed all too familiar._

_He heard a shrill, familiar, female cry in the distance._

_"Jinora!" Kai cried out._

_Kai tried to wriggle out of the tentacles, only to cause them to dig into him further. Soon, he heard an evil, deep-voiced laugh rumble, "No friends, no spirits to save you Kai. You can't save her or yourself from me…Prepare to face your monster." _

_"GAHHH!" Kai shouted as he propped himself up._

He panted heavily as he became acclimated to his surroundings. Realizing he was still in the dorm, still in Chou's new "home."

Kai rubbed his face, trying to figure out what it meant. He remembered the first part of the dream: it was the day he'd stolen their savings and ran away. There was nothing inaccurate about that—no matter how much Kai wished it never happened. But latter half; it was a repeat of the nightmare he had experienced the day before he'd left for the Earth Kingdom.

There was now no doubt it meant something, if only Kai could figure out what.

Two days had passed since he'd stumbled across Chou. He couldn't remember how though. In the short time he'd been there, Kai's enthusiasm and optimism had slowly declined. There was something odd about this place, something wrong.

The "seismic activity" Chou described had reoccurred far too many times. Jinora had lectured Kai thoroughly about the topic, and Kai knew enough to know that this wasn't natural. The fact he'd seen injured boys carried away on stretchers immediately afterwards didn't reassure him at all. There were too many bits and pieces that didn't add up in the equation Chou had given Kai. Plus, there was something severely wrong about Chou.

Kai had tried to deny it, had tried to convince himself that Chou had simply grown-up and grown a thicker skin since his misfortune. But no one could change that dramatically. Chou was cold, besides his physical looks, he didn't resemble the brother Kai had known. When he told Kai more about his story (the events leading up to his parents' death), Kai felt uncomfortable with the way he spoke._ I wonder how much of that is my fault,_ Kai thought to himself.

What if Kai had never stolen from them? What if Kai had never rejected their attempts to bond with him? What if Kai had never left them in the first place?

He didn't even want to think about it. Kai felt like avatar Aang after he'd found out about the air nomad genocide. However, even if Kai couldn't figure out what happened to Chou, he was going to figure out what was going on with his "family" right now.

Kai heard a familiar 'grumble' from outside, growing louder and louder, closer and closer to his dorm. _Is that a Sato-mobile?_ Kai thought to himself. It didn't make sense, but Kai had a feeling it was about to.

Kai crept to the entrance of his dorm, waiting for the truck to pass. When he saw the first sign of gray, Kai propelled himself out of the door and under the truck. Before its wheels could pass over him and expose him, he grabbed onto the underside, clinging to it as if it were his lifeline. His back strained to keep his torso flat up against the truck so that no one could spot him. He couldn't see much, but he could make out the bright light penetrate his surroundings.

They were going above ground.

The truck drove for what seemed like an eternity before coming to a sudden stop. Kai let go of the truck—relieving his sore shoulders, dropped to the ground, and waited. Boots suddenly landed in front of him, and Kai heard the clinging of metals as the boys unloaded. Knives, clubs, other crude weapons, ropes, burlap bags, and a strange box fell in front of him.

_"You know Chou's orders…Don't leave a building un-robbed." _

The bandits left with all there equipment, and as soon as the perimeter was clear, Kai climbed out from the underside of the truck.

Lines of crumbling houses stood a hundred feet in front of him. As Kai examined the neighborhood, he heard a 'boom' in the distance. By the time he turned his head towards what could've only been an explosion, fire engulfed the houses. Townspeople began pouring out of the neighborhood, some burned, some desperately trying to fend off the attackers, some holding small children, some screaming for help.

Some of them were even the same people that had slandered Kai in the market place.

Kai froze in horror as the truth dawned on him. How could he have been so blind? Chou's "family" was no benevolent act: this was a criminal operation. The boys were thieves, and Chou was the gang boss. Chou had been terrorizing these people for the past two years; Chou had all these boys carrying out his dirty work; Chou was tricking Kai all along.

And Kai had a feeling Chou had something to do with Yung and Daw's disappearance.

Not wanting to be seen and not knowing whether to get involved, Kai did the one thing he could think of: get away, away from the scene and back to Jinora. He flipped open his wing-suit, and with a power air-blast, flew off.

**Okay, so I hope that chapter was alright. I know things have been getting progressively darker, but again good can't exist without bad, right? Still, lemme know any suggestions you might have; reviews are great! I will get the next chapter up tomorrow. So until then...peace!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Alright! So hope you all enjoy this new chapter, especially since it's a one-on-one Kainora alone time chapter. Anyways, onto the story!**

Jinora paced back and forth and back and forth on the top of the hill. She had flown all over the town, had searched every alleyway, had interrogated every citizen, had tried to find his spiritual energy—but failed to find Kai. A sense of worry gnawed at her heart, the pain growing stronger and stronger with every minute she didn't see his handsome face, didn't hear his charming voice. Jinora rubbed her temples in stress, praying that Kai would return soon.

She turned towards the mountain that towered over the town, almost as if she was hoping it'd give her an answer to the question on her mind the most. Nothing came. Sighing, Jinora elected to meditate an what she hoped would be an auspicious attempt to ease her nerves. However, just as she sat down, she felt a cold hand grab her shoulder. She flung the hand off her along with an air-punch, but as she prepared to knock the assailant off the hill, she heard a familiar voice cry out.

_"Jinora! It's me! Stop!" _

"K—Kai?"

Jinora pulled the returnee off the edge of the hill and helped him sit up, demanding to know if he was okay. When she heard him respond lightheartedly, "Don't you know it takes more than that to get rid of me?" she felt the world lift off her shoulders and punched him jokingly. They struggled to see in the dark, but even in the pitch black Jinora could make out Kai's emerald green eyes and pearly white smile, and he could see her bright blue arrow and shining brown eyes. After a moment of staring at each other, they pulled each other into a tight hug.

Jinora ran her hand through his ruffled hair and down the shaven sides of his head; she ran pressed her face against his, feeling the curve of his broad and strong jaw. she savored the warmth of his body, glad to know he still had one. Meanwhile, Kai stroked her shoulders and felt a sense of guilt slowly creep over the enormous joy that he felt initially. He pulled away, and Jinora, sensing something was wrong, placed her hands over his.

"Jin, I'm sorry…For everything…"

"You don't need to apologize; you're already forgiven."

"But I can't forgive myself just yet. I screwed up big time, but don't worry. I'm gonna make it up to you, and I know just how."

"How?"

"Well, when I was gone, I, uh, kinda got kidnapped."

"What! Were you hurt? Did they try to brainwash you? Because that's what the Dai Li used to do in their secret layer beneath Lake Laogi and—"

"No, no, no! That's not what happened. I'm fine. They were bandits, criminals. I ended up in their layer and kinda hung with them for a couple days."

"You did what? Kai! Don't tell me you got involved with their shenanigans."

"I didn't, honest. I came back to make things better, not worse. Plus, I'd never do something like that to you."

Jinora smiled at his heartfelt confession, thankful that the night hid her blush.

"Anyways," Kai continued, "I was able to watch them for the past couple days, learn more about them. I think they're the ones that blew up the railroad that we saw flying in, the ones that's been terrorizing the town, and the ones that have something to do with Yung and Daw's disappearance."

"That's great! We've got to go back to my dad now and tell the others! Then we—"

"No! We can't! I have to go back, and they can't suspect anyone knows about this!"

"What? A—are you trying to protect them?"

"No, I'm not! I don't like what they're doing, but—"

"But what, Kai? Why would you possibly go back!"

"Because I know their leader!"

Jinora's jaw dropped in shock. She knew she was about to prod into Kai's troubled past, the one he had kept so, so incredibly guarded and smothered for all these years, but she had to.

"Alright, what's the story?" She asked.

Kai sighed, closed his eyes. Jinora sensed his disquietude and placed her hand on his cheek, trying to comfort him. Kai pressed her hand against his face and began to tell the story.

"Do you remember how we first met?" Kai asked.

"Yeah," Jinora replied, "you…were running from the police."

"Because I stole my adoptive family's life savings," Kai sighed remorsefully.

"Keep going," Jinora encouraged him.

"I swore I'd never even think about my past, about them again…But it doesn't look like that's gonna happen. Anyways, they were a small family, just the mom, dad, and a son my age. Obviously, they had money, and they were happy. They just wanted to spread to happiness to a child that didn't really know what it meant. Only, I backstabbed them—hard. And I didn't find out what happened to them those six months I was on the run and what's happened since.

"Those savings were their lifeline. A week after I stole them, the dad got into a bad accident. He was stuck in the bed for a while, and it was up to the mom to pay both the hospital bills and rent. She managed to get the hospital, but the rent, not so much. That gated community's real estate company was tough; they didn't take excuses. When she couldn't come up with the money to pay the rent—the life savings I stole—they got kicked them to the streets. They went from happy, well-off family to miserable, street beggars.

"Their son took it the worst. He, he changed. And I can't say for the better exactly. He was in a lot of pain, guilt—and anger. Two months later, some thugs suddenly came chasing after his parents; apparently, they worked for the dad for a while before getting fired, and they'd been holding a grudge against him since. The thugs said that it was because of his dad that they were living the miserable life they had. But they weren't satisfied with the fact the family was living like them; they wanted revenge. And that's what they got…They tried to kill the whole family…Only the son managed to escape.

"Now, the son, my adoptive-brother, is the leader of the gang we're dealing with, the leader behind all the bad things happening here…All because I stole their life savings…All because of me."

Jinora was silent, her mind still reeling. She knew Kai had a criminal past, but she'd never imagined how petty thievery could've caused something so bad. Moreover, she couldn't believe how remorseful he felt about it, how much he blamed himself. Whether it was completely his fault though, Jinora wasn't so sure of.

"I tried not to think about what could've happened. I told myself that the police returned the life savings, and everything worked out…I'm a terrible liar and person for that matter."

Jinora stared at the troubled teen. She could tell that he was too ashamed to look her in the eye. She could tell that tears were streaming down his eyes. She could tell he was carrying a weight heavier than anyone had (except for maybe Aang). Then, she tipped his chin up so that his eyes would meet hers. She flashed a smile at him, and he smiled back, relieved to know that her opinion of him hadn't changed, that she admired his courage to confess.

"So you see? I have to go back. I have to make things right. I get the feeling that there's more going on than just what we've seen, and I need time to get to the bottom of it. Plus, I don't know if we can take on his entire army of bandits in a fight. Me going back might be a better option." Kai stated.

"I know you do." Jinora replied with a chuckle.

"What's so funny?" Kai asked light-heartedly.

"Nothing…It's just that, you sound like my grandpa Aang, at least from the stories I've heard of him." She replied.

It was then when they noticed that they were still holding hands and separated themselves awkwardly. Kai jumped up, declaring he needed to leave soon.

"I'm gonna try to talk to him. Maybe I can figure out what else is going on; maybe I can convince him to stop what he's doing; maybe we can avoid any unecessary fighting. But if I don't show up soon, get worried." Kai offered.

"Do what you need to, but try to stay safe," Jinora replied as she turned back to camp.

"Wait!" Kai shouted.

"Yeah?" Jinora asked as she stopped in her tracks.

"Thanks for everything. You're my best friend, and I'm really glad that you are." Kai confessed with a blush.

"You too," Jinora replied blushing as well, "but I have one last question before you go: what's his name?"

"Chou."

With that, Jinora nodded as Kai flew off into the night. They both felt their hearts tug the moment they separated. Eventually, Jinora headed back to camp as Kai disappeared beyond the hills.

What both of them didn't notice—was a small, blue spirit sitting at the base of the hills, watching Kai return to the town as well.

**I hope that chapter was okay. Ik it seems weird Kai's going back to Chou (given his discovery in the last chapter), but the idea is that Kai still feels bad for what he did to Chou, and Kai still thinks it's his fault. I was also intending for this to kinda be a turning point in his character development/maturity, where he tries to solve a problem with his head instead of his fists (which was pretty typical of him). Anyways, didn't mean for that spheel to be so long...Just wanted to give insight into my thought process. Anyways, continue to review, and I'll upload the next chapter tomorrow!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey everyone! I kinda looked back on the story so far, and I thought there needed to be a bit of a transitional chapter between when Kai leaves Jinora and gets thrown into prison by Chou. So I wrote this! Sorry to be adding a new chapter in the middle of the story. Ik it's a bit confusing…**

The room was dimly lit but glowed with a faint green light. Chou was staring at the wall, more specifically, at a small framed picture of his family—including Kai. He closed his eyes: all the wonderful memories of his childhood washed over him like the warm currents of the the Ember Island beach his parents would take him to.

He pushed them aside, and let the coldness he'd become so accustomed to over the years return. Instead of reminiscing about the period of innocence and joy, Chou dug into the period of fear and bitterness that had come to define his time on the streets—the period which he was still living in. It was a period of his life that he would not leave. He would never never forgive, never forget about, and never move on from. At least not intentionally.

Being resentful and hateful was all he knew at this point. It disgusted him at first, but now—he simply did not care.

He forced his thoughts back to his street life once again, drawing energy from its anger. It was interesting how even though he now knew what Kai must've lived through, he refused to feel any sympathy for his nemesis. It was Kai's fault that his family was thrown on the streets. It was Kai's fault that the thugs had found his father and killed his parents in the most brutal manner. It was Kai's fault that bitterness and rage consumed Chou to the point of no control.

"Everything that I do is your fault, Kai!" Chou screamed at the picture before smashing his fist into the wall.

Chou breathed deeply. Compose yourself because you're gonna get your justice very soon, Chou thought to himself.

Soon, the sound of hurried footsteps approached the room.

It was time.

Kai was thrown into the room by two of Chou's largest body guards. As he picked himself up, he heard the metal door slam shut behind him. His heart pounded. He had no idea what he was going to say to Chou or what was going to happen.

The two boys sensed each other's presence, but they didn't say anything. They remained quite, just standing there, waiting for one of them to make the first move.

Kai felt beads of sweat trickle down his neck. He knew this was something he had to do; he had to confront what he'd done wrong, the product of his poor decisions. Yung, Daw, Jinora, and the others' lives would be at stake if he didn't take a firm stance, if he didn't act now.

"I know what you're all about…And I know you know I know." Kai stated curtly.

Chou didn't respond. He instead gently, calmly lifted the picture hanging on the wall. He then turned around, staring at the picture, before taking a few steps towards the former criminal and stopping. Chou lifted the picture besides Kai's head, comparing the two.

"Isn't interesting…how someone seemingly so innocent could be harboring a deep, dark secret? Could be more sinister than meets the eye? And isn't it interesting, how even after years of do-gooding, they haven't changed one bit!" Chou said as he glared at Kai in the eyes.

Kai felt anger simmer inside and nearly splatter outwards.

"I know I did some horrible things! Okay…But I've changed. And I'm gonna make it up to you, right here, right now. I've got your back until the end." Kai replied, trying to calm himself.

"Ha! As if you could do something like that!" Chou bit back.

"Chou, I wanna help you," Kai explained, biting down on his lip.

"You ruined my life! You murdered my family! And, you murdered me…" Chou hissed.

Kai stared dumbfounded at the last comment. He was frothing like a saber-tooth-moose-lion, positioned in a hunting mode, ready to spit tear Kai to shreads. Nevertheless, he shook it off and began his plea once more.

"I'm going to offer you an ultimatum. The air nation and Republic City police chief are here. They're gonna bust your operation. In the end, you won't be committing anymore crimes, and you're gonna hand over Yung and Daw. There are two ways to do this. One, they can attack and force you to surrender. Or two, you can surrender peacefully: you promise to disarm and disband your group, and in turn, you can avoid unnecessary fighting and walk away with some dignity. That's what I'm offering." Kai finished.

Chou jerked himself around and away from Kai. For the next few moments, there was no sound but the heavy breathing, panting from Chou. Finally, the gang leader lifted his head. Still not facing the air-bender, Chou inaudibly whispered something.

"What?"

"I said, 'No!' I deserve more, and I won't stop until you've paid for what you've done. I am your worst _nightmare_." Chou growled.

Kai was speechless.

"You know, I'm not even sure if you deserve to be an air-bender," Chou taunted with a contorted smile.

Suddenly, Kai felt himself lose control, lose control of every emotion and sense of reason in the moment, just like Chou. He felt his rage surge out of him and manifest itself in the form of an air-blast, one so powerful it smashed Chou against the wall. As Chou fell to the ground, Kai realized what he'd just done—again. Now, there was no hope of de-escalating the situation

Kai watched in dread as Chou lifted his head. Chou smiled, dropped his eyebrows and half-laughed, "I was hoping you'd do that."

Kai stood watching Chou, utterly confused. It was then he felt a 'thud' on the ground. Kai jerked himself around, only to discover two earth-bender servants of Chou's.

They launched disks of rock at him, tried to encase him in earth, tried to capture him. Kai responded with an equal amount of force. He dodged their disks and threw air-swipes. However, they soon proved themselves to be amateur benders, and Kai overwhelmed them easily. As he prepared to throw an air-bomb at them—he felt a metal chain wrap around his wrist, then another around his ankle, pulling him to the ground!

He struggled to get up, struggled to fight, but he soon felt the bodies of the two guards pile on top of him. They twisted Kai's arm around his back, put all their pressure onto his spine, and jerked his head painfully upwards.

Chou smiled as he approached a subdued Kai, coiling the metal chains as he did.

"Did I forget to tell you I learned how to metal-bend?" Chou taunted as he bent down.

He looked Kai in the eye, spat in his face, and pulled out keys from his shirt.

"Throw him in with the rest…We've got a lot of explaining to do."

**Alright, so I hope that chapter was good. Let me know what you think about it. Reviews are greatly appreciated.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hi everyone! I hope you're all enjoying the story so far. This chapter's definitely gonna get intense, and at last, we'll find out what Chou is really up to. **

They had strapped Kai to a chair, hands bound behind him with a chains and a lock, feet tied to the legs the same way. Kai couldn't quite make out where they were taking him, but he had a feeling it wasn't good. At last they arrived, for Kai could heard the slam of the door.

It was a large room and one of the few to have a electricity. In one corner, a blond girl fumbled with crude telecommunications devices. She twisted the antenna, attempting to find a signal underground. Lying beside Chou was a dark box; Kai didn't like it from the looks of it.

_"Wait a minute…Kai? Is that you?"_ A familiar voice called out.

Kai twisted his head the other way, and what he saw both relieved and frightened him. Yung and Daw, both restrained in chains, hanging on the wall of the cove. Their eyes were baggy, skin pale, and Daw's once-bald head had begun to sprout tufts of hair. Clearly, they'd been in their predicament for a while, but at least they were alive.

"Nice to know you guys didn't forget about us. We were starting to feel doomed." Yung half-joked.

"Oh, don't worry! You're all still doomed…" Chou added in maliciously.

Kai's expression changed from relieved to on guard. He furrowed his brows and turned towards Chou, still in disbelief of what had transpired. He glared at the smug gang leader, who now held the box in his hands.

"What do you want now?" Kai demanded.

"Well, nothing really. Just to give you the information I wanted to give earlier, had our lovely conversation not been cut off." Chou replied as he began to circle Kai.

"You know…When my spies first reported to me that there were two air-benders in this town, I couldn't believe it. When my spies told me they overheard a conversation between the two idiots about a former town resident-turned-airbender that went by the name of Kai—I had to investigate. It turned out they weren't joking. When I discovered this, I knew it was time to put my plan, the one I'd been working on for the past two years, in action." Chou explained with a furtive smile.

Kai glared at him.

"Do you remember when you first arrived, when I told you I had one life goal? Well, that life goal is to destroy you and this town! You've probably figured out by now that the 'seismic activity' was a lie. It was explosives. I've been collecting every stick of dynamite I could find, using the money robbed from the townspeople to buy more and more, and so on. The trembles you've felt were just accidental detonations my idiots set off…Now, you know the history of this town: it was carved out of the mountain. Well, that mountain's about to blow up and bury the people in its rubble!" Chou declared.

The airbenders gasped in horror. Kai stared in disbelief. He'd known Chou was angry, but not this angry. Kai thrashed around in his chains, attempting to shake them off with no avail.

"You can't be serious," Kai whispered.

_"_Oh, I'm very serious, because I've been waiting for far too long for my _justice_. We're both going to get what's coming for us…Especially you and—" Chou hissed.

"Sir! We've picked up a signal. Are ready to proceed?" The girl informed and asked him.

Chou smirked at Kai, instilling yet another sense of dread in him. He then opened the box and pulled out a black metal rod. It seemed familiar to Kai, but he couldn't quite figure out what it was—until a blue electric current flashed out. A started to crawl into Kai like a spider, and Chou enjoyed it thoroughly.

"Contact the air-nation!" Chou commanded.

Meanwhile...

Jinora paced back and forth and back and forth outside her father's tent. There was a pit in her stomach that grew wider and wider with every second Kai was gone. She'd tried to tell herself that he just needed more time, but she couldn't help but feel that something dreadful had happened.

Jinora reminisced all the fond memories with Kai: the day they first met, they day he'd saved ten from P'Li, the afternoons they'd spent together, relishing every moment of them. A blush came over her before being replaced by fear—fear that these moments would soon come to an end.

Meanwhile, Tenzin sat in his tent, bent over the phone, rubbing his temples as Pema tried to calm him down. Although he was never affectionate for the boy, he couldn't help but feel worried about him. Of course, Tenzin worried about all the air-benders, but his reaction to Kai's disappearance seemed different, just a bit, than that of Yung or Daw's. Maybe it was because Kai had saved him two years ago, or maybe it was because he was the most proficient new recruit, or maybe it because of how much he meant to Jinora, or maybe it was because Tenzin felt he'd been too hard on the boy.

"Honey, don't blame yourself too much," Pema comforted over the phone.

"I know…I can't believe I'm saying this, but is it possible I've been too harsh on him?"

"I can't tell you for sure bu—"

_"Hello Tenzin…"_

Tenzin froze. That voice did not belong to Pema, nor anyone he knew. It was distinct, but had a tone of coldness to it. It sent shudders up Tenzin's spine. Despite this, Tenzin had a feeling that this was a call he didn't want to hang up on.

"Who is this? What do you want?" Tenzin demanded as Jinora rushed into the tent and next to him.

"My name is—"

"Chou," Jinora added in.

Tenzin stared at Jinora in shock, but she didn't respond. Her eyebrows were furrowed, ears tuned into every word, every nuance in tone over the phone. Whatever had happened with Jinora, Tenzin would find out later.

"Where's Kai?" Jinora demanded.

"Right here!" Chou shouted.

A _'thump'_ was heard from over the phone followed by a moan of pain from Kai; Jinora froze. A static was heard over the phone. Beads of sweat trickled down Jinora's neck as the sound grew louder and louder—signaling that the taser was being set to the maximum level. Panic hit Jinora like a tsunami, and before she could scream out for help—she heard the horrid sound of it hit human flesh.

_"ARGGGHHHHHH!" _

"Kai! No, stop it!" Jinora pleaded.

A terrible, terrible pain seared her heart, almost as if she were the one being electrocuted. Tears streamed down her eyes; dread diffused throughout her body. Every second, every minute the abject act dragged on and on burned into her skin, into every fiber of her being. Voices in her head pounded at the sides of her brain, screaming at her to end the atrocity and protect her Kai, and grew louder and louder!

Then the screams stopped. Heavy, ragged breaths replaced them as Chou chuckled in the background. Despite the pain, the exhaustion, the paralysis that must've overcome Kai—that everyone knew had overcome Kai—he managed to choke out one word.

_"Jinora?"_

Her heart stopped. Even in the most dire moment, under the most abject circumstances, he managed to whisper such a sweet sound. Despite the frenzy of the moment, she knew what he meant: Kai was gripping onto consciousness and enduring the torture for _her_. Jinora buried her face into her hands and let her father's arms wrap around her and comfort her.

Tenzin, who had turned his head away and shut his eyes during the ordeal, now faced the speaker. He held it in front of his lips, clenching it, secretly vowing to rescue his air-bender. In a deep-voiced, stern tone, he addressed Chou.

"What are your demands?"

"First, you abandon any ideas of attack. Try, and I'll kill all three of your air-benders...Now, that's settled...Tell me, have you seen the old stage carved into the side of the mountain? The one adjacent to the demolished gated community?"

"Yes."

"Good. Tomorrow afternoon, you meet me there. There, I will explain all. That's my second command. In fact, the entire town will be there! I've already sent my minions to deliver the message—that the leader of their assailants is ready to face them. The townspeople are _dying_ to find out who I am; they'll show…Don't forget to come, because if you do, then a certain three air-benders get their throats ripped out…Until tomorrow, master Tenzin and Jinora."

The phone hung up.

Tenzin set the speaker down, his entire body numb. Wrapped in his other arm, Jinora stared at the floor shell-shocked. The room was silent; apprehension permeated the air. What had been a difficult task had morphed into a life-threatening situation. Neither of them knew quite what to do, but both of them felt shaken by what was to come.

***Dramatic music!* Sorry if that chapter was a bit dark. Lemme know any reactions y'all have about the story so far. The next chapter will be up tomorrow like always. So I bid thee farewell until then!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey everyone! So this chapter's more of a transitional one as far as the plot goes. Hope that last sentence made any sense :p Anyways, it'll feature more of Lin and Opal's relationship and will be kinda short.**

Opal and Lin searched every inch of the filthy alleyway. They flipped over every sleeping bag, examined every crack in the walls, and interviewed every resident. Yet they came up with nothing.

Tenzin had ordered them to gather more information about the crime group that kidnapped their benders. The Beifong duo's search had led them to this alleyway, where the bandits were last seen according to eye witnesses. The thieves had robbed yet another store clean without fail, and afterwards, they'd ran into the alleyway and vanished. No one knew how, for it led to a dead end; there was only one way in and out.

_Or is there?_ Lin thought to herself as she examined the scene.

"Aunt Lin, maybe we should just look somewhere else," Opal suggested dejectedly.

"No, I'm not giving up yet," Lin replied sternly.

Opal sighed at her stubborn aunt. Lin may not have been on "friends" with Kai or Yung or Daw, but she wasn't about to leave them in harm's way. Stubborn and intuitive like her mother Toph, she would search this alleyway for hours on end until she found the missing variable in this equation. Thus, she continued hypothesizing possible explanations, employing her detective skills, the one thing she did best.

Opal, however, didn't share the sentiments.

"Come one, Aunt Lin. We're wasting time. There's no way they could've escaped through here. All that's here are sleeping bags and earth." Opal complained.

"Earth," Lin whispered to herself.

Lin's eyes bulged. A switch flipped in her mind, illuminating the hidden truth. The police began to kick aside sleeping bags, forming a blank circle around her feet. She then turned towards a confused Opal and got into a fighting stance.

"What are you doing?" Opal asked.

"You'll see," Lin responded.

The earth-bender jerked her right leg up, and in one swift move slammed it onto the ground below. She closed her eyes: her world turned gray, allowing her seismic sense to guide her. Rings rippled from the soles of her feet, allowing her to sense every creature, every vibration, and every crack in the earth. Soon, her seismic sense (as it had done for Toph myriad times before) opened her eyes to what no one else could see. After the effects ebbed, Lin turned her heads upwards, determination fresh on her face.

"What is it?" Opal asked.

"I sensed something underground, something hollow," Lin informed her.

"You mean like a cave?" Opal questioned.

"More like a tunnel, a network of tunnels," Lin clarified.

"Tunnels? That must be how the bandits are moving around and where they're hiding!" Opal realized.

"Exactly. After they make off with their loot, they'll find some secluded corner where it's hard to be seen. They'll operate in groups, and each group will have at least one earth-bender. That earth-bender will open up a hole in the ground, and through that hole, they'll drop back into their tunnels—their layer." Lin explained further.

"And I bet that's where they're keeping Yung and Daw," Opal added on, "we've got to get tell Tenzin this, right now!"

With a nod of affirmation from Lin, the duo headed back to the camp—unaware that a blue and yellow spirit had been perched on the wall, watching them from above.

By the time Lin and Opal had sprinted back to the camp, they could discern there was something wrong. The dejected faces of Jinora and Tenzin were clear indicators, and the four didn't let a moment slip before revealing to each other what they had discovered. Opal started, Tenzin followed, and confusion ended it: they'd no idea what to do.

"We can't just give into his commands," Opal murmured.

"Maybe we don't have to, not fully," Jinora stated.

The three turned towards Jinora, who now had her hand on her chin, lost in thought. She would do anything to get Kai back, which meant she would—even in this time of distress—formulate the most cunning plan to do so. She reviewed the plan in her head, meticulously checking every detail.

"What are you thinking, Jinora?" Tenzin inquired.

"I'm thinking that we split up. Tomorrow afternoon, daddy and I will go meet Chou along with the rest of the town, and we'll try to stall him. Opal and Lin, you two infiltrate their layer and find Kai, Yung, and Daw. We'll keep in touch with the radios we brought, and once you two have found the three and gotten out safely, contact us immediately. Then, we'll take on Chou—hopefully with the help of the townspeople." Jinora explained.

"But do you even know what he's planning tomorrow?" Opal asked.

"I'm not sure, but I'm guessing it's gonna be more than just a ransom. We don't have much of a choice but to take a leap of faith. Are you in?" Jinora explained then asked.

Tenzin, Opal, and Lin glanced at each other before nodding in agreement. Jinora smiled, thankful for their trust, then frowned, hoping that it wasn't too late to save Kai.

**Team Air+Republic City Police Chief have a plan! Will it work? Also, what was up with those spirits watching them? 0_o That's the second time a spirit has appeared in the story, even though they supposedly left a long time ago. Just a couple things to keep in mind. I've got a good idea where I want this to go. Please continue to review; it's greatly appreciated.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hello all! So I think chapter's going to be a bit more exciting and deep than the last one. We'll get to see Chou trying to worm his way into Kai's mind and Kai struggling internally with his past more. There's also a couple lines where we get to see Chou's state of mind and his insecurities as well; it's more subtle, so watch out for those. Anyways…onto the story!**

Kai had spent the night sleepless; every minute he was tormented by the thoughts of Chou's despicable plot—and the instinctive guilt that Kai himself was partially responsible for it. Kai's tortured-state didn't go unnoticed, for Yung and Daw were awoken every time Kai screamed in the middle of the night. A despondence and silence lingered in the air, growing heavier with each minute the time crept towards Chou's plot.

Suddenly, the door flung open, and a triumphant Chou entered.

"Morning, my dear Kai," Chou greeted them slyly, "it's a good day to serve justice."

"You're not _justified_ in what you're doing," Kai countered, his voice haggard.

Chou's smile turned into a frown. Yung and Daw shrunk. Chou strolled up to Kai, pulled his head up, and glared at him in the eye. Kai didn't flinch.

"You're going insane, aren't you?" Kai muttered.

"Shut it! I've planned this town's and your demise for the past two years. I've spent hours and hours thinking over every little detail, dreaming of the day I get my justice. And nothing is going to get in my way!" Chou bellowed.

"Justice isn't what you're looking for: revenge is," Kai retaliated, "some of these people may have been bad to you, but that doesn't mean all of them deserve to die!"

"You sound like you're protecting these townspeople? I find that ironic and hypocritical…Remind me again, but didn't you lash out at them the first day you arrived here?"

Kai froze. Yung and Daw glanced at each other nervously. Chou's smirk widened into a crooked grin.

"That's right, Kai. My spies told me what happened: some residents got just a little worked up, and a full-out attacked them. You blasted them, punched them, crushed them—and showed no mercy to that former Dai Li officer. If anyone's vengeful, then it's you…So why do you get to judge what I'm doing?"

Kai shut his mouth. He had nothing more to say. It was a notion that had rooted itself in his mind but one he'd refused to give thought to and tried to keep buried; however, now it there was no holding it back. It sprouted and branched off inside his head, growing and growing—filling Kai with self-doubt. At first, Kai had been confident in his stance against Chou, in what he had to say to the abject adolescent; now he wasn't so sure.

Chou, upon discerning a change in Kai's demeanor for the worst, smiled. He had penetrated Kai's mental barrier, the one that no one could (except for that tattooed air-bending girl). A sense of pleasure began to worm itself into him—but was soon crushed by his subconscious. _No, this still isn't enough,_ Chou told himself. A depressed and mentally-tormented Kai wasn't enough to satisfy him. He would never be satisfied unless Kai was dead. Actually, Chou wasn't sure if he could ever feel truly satisfied anymore, if there was anything left in his world that could make him happy. With that dreary and painful notion in his mind, Chou closed his eyes and bent down next to Kai's ear.

"Besides, you can only blame yourself for this. If you hadn't ruined my life, I would've never had to to this…I deserve this: you've been living the good life while I've been wallowing in my own misery," Chou hissed.

Yung and Daw exchanged knowing looks; there was something off about that comment.

Chou stood upright, brushed off his suit, and exited the dungeon.

Kai remained motionless, speechless, his head hung down—refusing to make eye-contact with Yung or Daw. Any drive he had to stop Chou was gone. Any confidence in himself and his character was shattered. Kai had never felt so low at any point in his life.

However, the sentiments weren't shared by Yung or Daw, particularly Yung. The silent state of matters and dejected Kai tore into his flesh like a fire ferret. Eventually, he could contain it no longer.

"Kai! What are you doing? Get us outta here." Yung pleaded.

"How? It's hopeless now." Kai sighed.

Yung and Daw exchanged concerned looks, with Daw softly asking, "Are you sure he hasn't been brainwashed?" Yung flashed Daw scolding stare, indicating that he wasn't aiding the situation. He then returned his attention to a seemingly broken Kai.

"Kai, don't let what he said get to you," Yung urged.

"But what if he's right? He's got a point: I am a hypocrite, and I am guilty for all this." Kai countered.

"What?" Daw bursted out.

"I wear this air-bender suit, but I don't embody the air-bender beliefs. I'm not the symbol of pacifism; I've attacked defenseless people, gone for revenge, and have always chosen fists over words. But that's not it. When I first came here, I accused this town of abandoning me, but really, I abandoned them too. I knew that this town must've fallen into chaos after the collapse of the Earth Queen, but I never came back to help…Plus, maybe if I never stole his family's life savings in the first place, nobody would be doomed. Maybe I'm as guilty as Chou says I am." Kai sighed.

Yung's brows furrowed in frustration. He was determined to restore Kai to his original, brimming self. Yung would not and could not let Kai surrender, for he saw in the boy something valuable, something that held great potential—that couldn't be lost.

"Listen, Kai. Do you remember the day we met in the Earth Queen's prison?" Yung asked.

"Yeah," Kai muttered, still avoiding eye-contact.

"Remember how the prison guard wanted you to attack me with full-force? But you didn't. Chou may have been right—but only to an extent. You have the shadiest background than any of us new air-benders, but you also have the greatest potential—not just skill-wise…Don't give up Kai. I've never seen anyone try harder to be a better person than you...Please, don't burn out of fuel before you finish the race, and you're so close to the end…" Yung pleaded.

Yung's words struck a chord inside Kai, a chord that's acoustics reverberated outwards, touching every nerve and fiber of Kai's being, opening up his ears to messages he'd never heard before. Kai lifted his head up and stared at the two chained men in the eye.

Was it possible that Chou was wrong about Kai? Was it possible Kai was wrong about himself? Was it possible that maybe their predicament wasn't all Kai's fault? Was it possible that all this turmoil was meant to happen, meant to serve a higher purpose, foster a great change?

Kai opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by the creaking of the metal door.

Soon, Chou strode in, his two enormous earth-bending guards and the telecommunications girl from earlier following. The guards removed Yung and Daw from the wall, easily restraining their frantic kicks. The girl shifted through a the black box from earlier, searching for some malicious weapon.

The guards dragged Yung and Daw out of the prison, their protests and pleas growing softer by the second. Chou chuckled as the girl fasted what appeared to be two giant, metal hooks onto his arms. With one move, he bended them back into his sleeves, concealing the weaponry. He then extended his right hand to the girl, who fasted a wrist-band with a remote control and red button on top.

"Take the taser and guard him…Don't let him escape." Chou barked at the girl.

She bowed and did as instructed.

Chou then moved towards Kai, who glared back at him without a blink.

"What about me?" Kai asked.

"Oh, I've got very special plans for you," Chou replied as he tapped his wristband, "and maybe your little girlfriend—Jinora, I believe—too."

Kai's eyes bulged immediately. He felt his heart slam against his chest. He heard voices in his head shout at him to break out of chains. Chou, upon noticing this, taunted the boy further.

"Seems fair. You took away all that was important to me. So it should be fine that I do the same to you." Chou tormented.

"Don't you dare," Kai whispered.

"Relax, Kai. I won't go after her specifically. There's no point. After all, they'll all be dead soon…"

With that said, Chou swerved around and strode out of the room—confidence brimming as he moved to execute his revenge.

**How was it? I was trying to make it seem like Kai was trying to find the truth about himself between two conflicting views. There was an element of self-realization (acknowledgement of Kai's faults) and hints of Chou's vulneability in this chapter that'll be explored more later. hope I made those three things clear. Lemme know if I didn't or if there's anything I can do to improve this story. Ik not everyone is able to read my mind when I'm typing this :p So please continue to review, and I will have the next chapter up tomorrow.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hi everyone! Hope y'all are enjoying the story so far. This chapter's gonna be a quickie and feature the Beifong duo. Enough said, onto the story!**

"How long you think they'll be out?" Opal whispered to Lin.

"Hopefully long enough for us to find them," Lin replied was she shoved a duo of unconscious boys behind a crate.

Lin and Opal had been wandering the tunnels, evading watchdogs, searching for the three missing airbenders fruitlessly. The two were stunned by the enormity of the criminal operation; in all her years as police chief, Lin had never seen something so sophisticated and so well-crafted, at least not by kids. It was because of that, the both had their guard elevated: whatever was going on, was obviously deeper than they knew or had originally thought.

"We're running outta time, Aunt Lin. There's gotta be a more efficient way to find—" Opal was cut-off by a vigilant Lin, who clamped her hand over Opal's mouth.

_"Let us go! Come on, Chou's crazy. You know, he probably doesn't care about you."_

Lin pulled Opal aside. The two hid behind the crate they had shoved the boys behind. Tapping her ear, Lin motioned for Opal to listen to the commotion. The voices became clearer and clearer, indicating the bodies were moving closer and closer to them. Soon, there was no doubt who the protesters were: Yung and Daw.

Opal's heart pounded faster; they had to get Yung and Daw now. She moved to assault the captors, only to be stopped by Lin. The police chief shook her head, silently instructing her impatient niece to wait. Opal nodded reluctantly.

Just as the captors and air-benders passed the crates, a shriek was heard.

_"Help! Intruders! Behind this crate! One of them's an air-bender! Get them!"_

The Beifongs' spines froze. They jerked their heads around, only to find the boys they'd knocked-outed minutes ago had regained consciousness—and blown their cover. With a nod to her niece, Lin signaled the time had come: attack.

The duo bursted from behind the boxes. Opal swept the floor with air-swipes, launched air-punches, and dogged assailants as she maneuvered in martial-art form. Lin launched rock disks and incapacitated her foes with her buit-in metal clamps. Despite their skill, the two were soon wing overwhelmed.

They sat at the intersection of multiple tunnels, and soon, support began to flow in from all directions. Boys and girls equip with knives, clubs, tasters, ropes, and other crude weapons poured in. Earth-benders on Chou's side launched rock after rock after rock. Soon, the battleground seemed to transform into an all-out war.

Yung and Daw had been pulled aside, and they could do nothing but watch in horror.

The battle seemed incessant—the Beifongs' skill matched by Chou's minions' numbers. Debris flew in all directions, and it seemed like a storm was terming through the tunnels. Lin and Opal felt their muscles strain, their heart pound as they managed to stay just a beat ahead of the enemy. Now, it was merely a matter of who could outlast the other.

However, that wasn't what occurred, for in the midst of the chaos, a green canister thrown into the midst of the battle.

Lin raised her eyebrow, puzzled by what the strange object was. Then, it hit her. She gasped as she heard a cry from behind.

"GAHHHHHH!" Opal screamed as she fell to the floor.

Behind her, a scrawny boy stood with a taser in hand.

"Opal!" Lin called out.

Lin cracked the ground in front of her, causing a horde of assailants to fall through the cracks. She then moved to shield her paralyzed niece, just as a green gas exploded out of the canister and pervaded the room, infiltrating everyone's lungs. Lin's vision blurred as she struggled to hang onto conscious, just in time to see a figure with a gas mask, solid black pants, and gray buttoned shirt walk up to her.

"You're too late," Chou chuckled.

**So now that Air-Republic team's rescue plan failed, what's that gonna mean for Kai? (0_o)**SPOILER ALERT** I'm planning on having the next chapter focus more on Kai and his internal struggle. THEN, we'll get to see Chou put his plan action. As always, feel free to review, and until next time! **


	16. Chapter 16

**Greetings readers! This chapter will kinda be more emotionally-exploratory and less action-packed. I tried to make it a moment of discovery for Kai, like a discovery about himself. Enough said. Onto the story!**

Kai didn't hear the commotion of the battle outside, for the prison cell was too well-sealed. The only sound that was heard was the sound of his thoughts. The girl guard sat a few feet away from him, but without any need for communications, she seemed to have lost interest in Chou's cause and elected to play with her hair pin instead.

Kai's thoughts weren't so much preoccupied with Chou's plans as they were with Yung's words. Kai had spent the past hour pondering and pondering over it, comparing it with Chou's version of the truth—lastly questioning himself of his own opinion.

Kai sighed. He felt as despondent and confused as Avatar Wan when he was lost in the Spirit Wilds.

For the past two years, Kai had at times felt torn between two extremes. There were times when he felt he had truly found his home and place in the air nation; then, there were times where he still felt alone, isolated from the others—an orphan. There were times when he was convinced he had fully repented for his wrongdoings; then, there were times when he questioned whether he had corrected anything at all. There were many, many more examples.

However, the more Kai thought about it—which he never had before—the more Kai began to unearth the truth behind these conflicting sentiments and the answers to the questions Chou had brought up.

All his trauma, his struggles, his conflicts were inexplicably tied to one thing: his past.

Yes, Kai was beginning to see it now. The truth trickled into him like the water in a river, held back by a dam. After years of restraint and years of resistance, the dam was beginning to fracture. Crack by crack, water was beginning to seep through, beginning to nourish what the dam had cut it off from. And as that water seeped through, it washed the weaknesses, created cracks, fed the fractures—at last letting the river surge to hits full power.

Kai had always been afraid to confront his past, and because he had yet to do it, he was unable to truly move forward with his life, unable to fully turn over a new leaf. He couldn't secure his future without first securing his past, and it was this struggle between his future and past that manifested itself in the struggles within himself.

Kai took a deep breath, his brain recuperating from the revelation he just had. He glanced at the room around him, reminding himself the predicament he was in. Suddenly, the image of Chou appeared in his mind, first as the innocent boy he once was—then as the despicable being he became. As the image faded, a wave of pity washed over Kai.

The horrendous accusations of the bitter boy, his version of the truth, now filled Kai's mind. However, Kai now knew that the real truth—about his past, about himself, about his character—had to be found within.

Had Kai made mistakes in the past? The answer was, "yes."

Yes, he had stolen, scammed, robbed, pick-pocketed innocent people. He had been ungrateful to those who offered opportunity for improvement and a better life—like Chou's family. He had set into spiral the events that would lead to Chou demotion from privileged, wealthy child, to meager street-urchin. He had failed to embody air-nomad principles: pacifism, non-aggression, forgiveness, and rejection of revenge. He had abandoned the town that was undoubtedly intertwined with his fate and was a part of him. He had shrunk in the face of his past. The list went on and on in Kai's head.

However, as the list went on, it became clearer than ever what the implications of his actions were and what were the limitation's of others' accusations against him.

Particularly Chou's.

Kai may have caused Chou to be kicked onto the streets, but Kai was not responsible for anything Chou was doing now. It was Chou's own decision to be engulfed by the flames of anger. It was Chou's own decision to wallow in his painful past instead of moving forward. It was Chou's decision to slaughter the townspeople.

Kai would not let that happen, for Kai now understood his mistakes and his current situation better than before. And Kai, now, was ready to correct his wrongs and resolve this issue once and for all. Kai was not about to fall back down the mountain when he was so close to the peak. Kai was ready to truly turn over a new leaf.

As the determination and courage that had defined Kai rushed back into him—restoring his willpower and energizing every fiber of his being, almost as if the spirits were guiding his body—Kai began to strategize what would be his greatest escape.

He turned towards the girl, who still fingered with her hairpin.

_Her hairpin,_ Kai thought.

Kai's eyes bulged as an inkling of an idea began to root itself into his brain. It was possible—but only if he was skilled and smart enough to pull it off.

Kai's arms were still bound behind his back. All of his limbs were bound by metal chains with locks. There was only one set of keys to them, and Chou kept those set on him at all times. If Kai was going to escape, he was going to need a substitute for a key.

That was the hairpin.

Like he did when the Bison rustlers caged him and Jinora, he would pick the lock open, and free himself from Chou's grapples. However, the only way he could do it is if the girl either did it willingly for him or if he could somehow acquire the pin by force—in his chained position.

It was going to have to be by force.

Kai furrowed his brows in determination, his eyes locking in on the hairpin. Chou may have bound his arms and legs, but fortunately for Kai, Chou didn't cover his mouth. Kai swept air into his lungs, forcing his chest to expand larger and larger until it burned—signaling it could do so no more. As he physically prepared for the assault, he mentally reviewed the Jinora's lesson on trajectory—praying he payed enough attention to pull it off.

At last, Kai aimed at the girl.

The girl, who had only began to notice a change in Kai, was too late to stop him. Before she could even grab the taser next to her—a gust of wind pounded into her stomach. It sent the girl into the wall, knocking her unconscious, but more importantly, it sent the hairpin flying through the air and into Kai's hand.

He inserted the pin into the hole of the lock, twisting it, turning it. Beads of sweat trickled down his neck as his heart pounded as the clock in the head ticked and ticked.

Then, he heard a _'click.'_

**So I hoped that chapter was alright. Things will definitely pick up pace from here, and we'll reach our action-packed, emotionally-wrenching (at least I'll try to make it that) climax soon! As always, feel free to review. Also, I'd like to take a moment to ask for title suggestions to this story. I kinda suck at those, and since we're so deep into the plot, I was wondering if y'all would have any better-fitting title names?**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hi everyone! Sorry I didn't upload yesterday. I've been pretty busy lately, and I'll be pretty busy for the next week. Nevertheless, I'm determined to finish this story, especially since we're so close to the end! Now, this is the chapter is gonna be super intense, and with that said, onto the story!**

Chou stepped onto the platform. He looked to his right and saw his once safe-haven home in shambles, feeling a sense of nostalgia as he did. He looked in front of him and saw the conglomeration of townspeople, feeling a tsunami of disgust as he did. They looked like nothing but half-brained sheep to Chou.

The disgust towards the crowd was greater than the nostalgia.

However, he reassured himself that soon, he would no longer have to see the crowd.

Meanwhile, Jinora and Tenzin were pushing their way to the front of the crowd. Jinora ignored the anxious chattering of the townspeople and the bodies constantly running into her, instead, focusing on the radio in hand, careful not to let anyone see it. She had yet to receive the call from Opal and Lin, which only worsened the foreboding feeling in her mind.

Upon seeing the air-benders' arrival, Chou addressed the crowd in a booming voice,

"Residents of this town, you may not remember me, but I can never forget nor forgive you. My name is Chou. I grew up—right over there—in that wealthy, gated community. I was taught from birth what a great place this was and what great people it hosted. Those were all lies. When I was victimized at the tender age of ten, I was tossed onto the streets unforgivingly! You people shunned me; you people did nothing to help me; you people even killed my parents! I thought that my former-status would've helped me on the hard streets, but you people treated me like no different than the myriad other street-urchins out there! It was because of you people—and another guest whom I shall soon introduce—that my life was ruined!

"After my parents were murdered, I devoted myself to one life goal. I picked up every orphan and every petty thief on these streets. I trained them to steal. I had them blow up your railroad, your lifeline. It's been my minions that have robbed every penny of yours, demolished your buildings, stripped your town of all your food and resources—it's all because of me. And why? All because of you! You've destroyed my life, and now, I'm going to return the favor! That is my life goal, and I will see it happen! This mountain, the one your folklore said would protect you—is about to be your ultimate enemy. I've stolen all of your explosives, and I've used your stolen money to illicitly purchase more. I have tunneled through that mountain with the help of my minions, and planted these explosives in every crook in it. And soon, this town, and all you disgusting people are going to be crushed under its rubble!"

Cries of horror, pleas for mercy, undeserving apologies filled the atmosphere around them. The residents each shoved and pushed off in their own direction, desperately attempting to escape the terrible fate Chou had sealed for them. Tenzin and Jinora desperately tried to rein the stampeding people in, at the same time exchanging glances at each other—telling each other it was time to attack.

Chou intercepted their attack before it even began, "Tenzin and Jinora! I wouldn't be so rash if I were you."

The next moment a hole in the mountain ripped open. From inside, four armed guards stepped out, each restraining a fallen member of the team. Yung, Daw, Lin, and Opal were all bound by the feet and arms with numerous coils of rope—which the police chief could not bend. Yung and Daw eyed Jinora and Tenzin with apprehension, while a semi-concious Lin and Opal desperately tried to keep their heads raised. The four guards then simultaneously pressed scythes and knives against their throats.

Tenzin and Jinora froze in their offense stances, neither relenting nor proceeding. If they attacked, then the four would be killed. If they didn't, Chou would continue his plan. The two grimaced as Chou smirked.

"You're all out of moves," Chou murmured, "and now prepare to _GAHHHH_—"

Chou was cut off.

The moment flashed by, as if it had never occurred. All anyone knew was that Chou had been swept off his feet and sent tumbling backwards on the stage, nearly falling off of it. The calm, collected, and cunning crime boss had been knocked over, a move nearly considered impossible by his guards or anyone else for the matter. The capricious event had the stampeding crowd refocused on the stage. It was almost as if a twister or hurricane—or air-blast—had been the culprit.

However, before the guards could even contemplate what spirit or being could have done such a thing—they too were knocked out! All they felt was a sharp, strong gust hammer into their backs, making them lose their stance and weapons.

_"Leave my friends alone!"_ A voice bellowed.

At last, the culprit came into sight. He was dressed in a skin-tight, gray, yellow, and red suit—the symbol of the air-nation. He towered above the cowering guards, standing strong.

"Kai," Jinora whispered, eyes gleaming with pride.

The guards glanced at each other; this was not part Chou's meticulously-detailed plan. However, it wasn't long before the largest of them grabbed the double-bladed scythe lying beside him. He pushed himself off the ground and swung the scythe; it would've sliced through Kai's neck had the guard been as agile as the thief-turned-hero. Kai grabbed the scythe by the handle with one hand, and with the other, threw an air-punch that sent the guard backwards and piled him on top of the other three.

The four fallen members stared dumbfounded, Opal and Lin still struggling to see what was occurring before their eyes. Kai turned to Daw. He instructed the man to hold still without explanation. Kai held the scythe above his head, and in one swift move, carefully sliced through the ropes binding Daw's hands; he then did the same to Daw's feet.

As Daw embraced the teen in a show of appreciation, Kai noticed the guards fleeing the scene and Chou regaining his bearings.

Kai's brows furrowed, and he pushed the man off of him.

"Take this and free the others. Get them down to Jinora and Tenzin!" Kai instructed.

Daw did as followed, freeing Yung first, and each of the men dragged an incapacitated Beifong back to the masters.

Chou stormed slowly up to face Kai. Kai observed his every move. The boy seemed different: his one neatly-combed hair was disheveled, his once confident and composed stride now more resembling an eel-hound's gait, his once light breathing heavy. He was frothing like a tigerdillo, yet Kai simply stood still, waiting for Chou to make the first move, refusing to relent his composure and dignity.

Jinora, Tenzin, Daw, Yung, Lin, Opal, and every town resident stood still, watching the confrontation.

"You ruined everything! Now, you're going to pay!" Chou yelled.

"Chou, I don't want to fight you. I just wanna talk." Kai asserted in a low, mellow voice.

The crowd's eyes bulged. Town resident by town resident—including the former Dai Li—turned to their shoulder neighbor, asking if each had heard Kai's statement correctly. Even Tenzin was caught off guard by the hot-headed Kai's placid and pacifist response. One town resident mustered the audacity to ask Jinora if that was really Kai. Her answer: yes.

Meanwhile, Kai desperately tried to make one last attempt to reach out to Chou, one last attempt to break a peace deal, one last attempt to reconcile.

"I deserve justice!" Chou cried out.

"Yeah, you do, but as I've said before, this isn't justice: it's revenge. And trust me, revenge doesn't solve anything!"

"You're a coward! Too scared to confront the people who wronged you." Chou recriminated.

"I was a coward once, but not anymore. Look, I know you're angry at these people," Kai began as he glanced at the town residents, "and for a long time, I was too."

"Then we should have an understanding—" Chou began before getting cut-off.

"No, we don't. Because I've realized I'd wronged them as much as they've wronged me. Because I've learned how to forgive them for what they've done. Because I've finally been able to understand how they felt. Because I'm here to resolve this conflict, not worsen it and kill everyone in the process." Kai replied.

Chou felt his brick wall crumble in front of him, exposing him to the caustic truths he'd attempted to for so long avoid. But he didn't want to believe, and he didn't want to hear. Chou snarled at Kai, who immediately upon sensing this vulnerability—applied more pressure to the frantic teen.

"Stop this right now, Chou! This won't bring your parents back, and this won't give you the life you once had. If anything it'll make you feel worse; years down the road you'll look back on this and regret it—and you'll never be able to fix it, never be able to forgive yourself. I'm giving you one last chance. Stop. You can leave behind your painful past, the one you've been stuck in, and move forward on a new road of recovery. You don't have to be miserable anymore if you admit you're wrong and end this right now!"

Chou glared at Kai. Chou knew he was right: most of his suffering, his misery was self-inflicted, for had he been able to forgive and move on—he wouldn't be so detestable. But it was too late for that now.

The crowd eyed the two in apprehension, not one person speaking during the confrontation. Jinora felt a surge of emotions in her. Never had she been so proud of Kai, for acting so mature, for being so analytic, for choosing to make peace instead of get payback. Yet, she couldn't help but feel dread wash over her the next moment, afraid for what was to come. It was as if a volcano and tidal wave were crashing into each other, threatening to envelop the world around them in destruction, and all she could do was watch.

Meanwhile, Chou felt his legs crumble beneath him. He fell to the floor, shocked because for the first time he was cornered, he was exposed. Kai moved closer to him, but Chou would not allow that. In one swift move, Chou gripped the earth, ripped out a chuck of rock, and hurled it at the airbender.

He hurled rock by rock by rock, yet Kai managed to dodge every one of them—never attempting to retaliate in the process.

Kai moved closer and closer to the earth-bender, who felt panic surge through his body with every inch Kai neared him.

"You keep trying to act like you're the good guy! But you've never been anything near good to me! I looked up to you when no one else did! I tried to be the friend you never had! And who betrayed me? Who cast me aside like a piece of trash? It was you, and since when did I ever get an apology? You're going to be sorry you ever did! Now, tell me how sorry you are Kai!" Chou cried out.

It was then Chou spread his feet and locked his arms and thrusted them towards the sky. A plate of earth came shooting from the ground, knocking Kai to his feet just before he could reach the teen. Kai grunted in pain, rolled over, and faced the teen looming above him.

"I'm sorry…I'm so, so sorry for everything I've done you wrong. I've made a lot of mistakes before, and no doubt, you were one of them… Every day for the past two years, I thought about you and your family—our family. I tried not to; I tried to forget; I tried to avoid it. I thought I was moving forward with my life, but in reality, I was running away from my past—running away from you. But now, I realize the past is something you have to face. I couldn't have avoided facing you anymore the Avatar Aang could've avoided facing the fire lord or Avatar Wan could've avoided facing Vaatu. And I should've faced you long ago, maybe before you turned yourself into a _monster_. For that, I'm sorry…But now that I've done my part, it's time for you to do yours. Stop this crazy plan now."

Chou stared at Kai for what seemed like an eternity, transfixed by his words. Then, eternity was over. And Chou felt any glint of sympathy he had disappear, as if it was consumed by a wretched darkness. He moved towards the fallen Kai, and, remembering the metal hooks he'd armed himself with, shot the hooks out and grabbed Kai's neck with it.

"I don't want your apology anymore. I want your head on a stick." Chou growled as he lifted the other arm-hook.

"Well, that's not going to happen," Kai muttered before inhaling the air around him and unleashing a powerful gale from his mouth.

The gale hit Chou before the hook hit Kai and sent the monster tumbling across the stage. As Chou lifted his head, he could see the air-bender closing the distance between the two—now, not willing to negotiate. Sensing this, Chou knew it was time.

He exposed the wrist-bracelet and punched the button on it.

A _'boom!'_ was heard from within the mountain, and boulders came tumbling down, trying to escape the horror that was to come, as the earth trembled in fear. Inside the monstrous mountain, the carefully-placed, carefully-engineered explosives were tearing down the mountain one by one—destroying it from the inside.

Cries of fear were once again elicited from the crowd, filling the atmosphere around them. The Air-Republic team glanced at each other in horror. Kai's heart stopped as he realized he had failed to stop Chou.

"You're too late," Chou hissed with a crooked smile.

***Cue dramatic music!* Yeah, so now that Chou's officially started the countdown to destruction, we can expect the next chapter to be SUPER action-packed and a bit gut-wrenching emotionally. I'm sorry I had to end the chapter here and leave everyone on a cliffhanger, but it would've just been WAY too long to put the entire climax into one chapter. I'll try to have the next chapter uploaded in a day or so, but again, I'm going to be really busy this next week. In the meantime, don't be shy and review! Feedback is always great.**


	18. Chapter 18

**The next part to our exciting climax is up! This chapter'll be more action-packed than the last. I don't wanna talk to much, so, enjoy! **

Kai felt his fists clench, but he turned his attention towards the crowd. His mind raced as he desperately tried to think of a way out, tried to think of a way to save the people. As he moved off the stage, he felt a compact disk ram into his ribcage, paralyzing him. By the time he'd recuperated enough to lift his head, he could see Chou standing a few feet away from him.

"I'll escape, but first, I've gotta kill you with my own hands!" Chou stated as he moved into an offensive position.

However, before he could end Kai's life, he felt a forceful wind thrust him backwards. Kai, immediately recognizing it as an air-blast, knew it could mean only one thing: Jinora.

The air-bending master was making her way towards Kai. Realizing this, Kai jumped up on his feet immediately, and yelled across the stage at her.

"Go back!" Kai demanded.

"What!" Jinora questioned in shock.

"You need to help evacuate the townspeople! Call Lefty and Oogi with your bison whistle. Load everyone up on them, and get out of range of the mountain!" Kai commanded.

"What about you?"

"I'll hold Chou off. He's won't let you guys go without a fight, and I'll give him that fight."

"But—"

"It'll buy you enough time to get away from here! Don't worry about me. As soon as I'm finished, I'll meet up you guys. But you have to hurry. Go, now!"

Jinora opened her mouth to protest, but she was cut-off by a tug in her arm.

"Jinora, just do what he says," Daw stated as he dragged her away reluctantly.

Soon, Jinora and the rest of the team began to carrel the townspeople and lead them away from the mountain. Kai took a deep breath, then turned to face his monster, who was now marauding towards him. He was like a saber-toot-mountain-lion, ready to pounce and tear Kai to shreds, frothing, as a a raging cry exited his mouth.

The next moment, a boulder came flying towards Kai.

The air-bender dogged it, then unleashed an air-blast. He looked past his shoulder, seeing the townspeople disappear in the distance. He knew he had to lure the menace that was Chou away from them.

_But where?_ Kai thought to himself.

The ground trembled and screamed in fear, it's shakes so severe they knocked both Chou and Kai off their feet. Kai jerked his head upwards and stared at the giant rock formation that shadowed over them. He knew where the had to take Chou now: up the mountain.

Scrambling to his feet, he propelled himself to the base of the mountain. He latched onto a crevice, and turned towards Chou.

"If you want me, you'll have to come get me!" Kai called out before launching himself upwards with an air-blast.

Chou shook his head and clenched his fists in frustration. He knew it was a trap, an attempt to lure him away from the people. It didn't matter. There was no way the townspeople could escape their doom; there wasn't enough time. However, maybe there was enough time to end Kai's life and flee the scene. With that sweet notion in mind, Chou spread his feet apart and thrust his hands upwards. Cracks formed around his feet, and a rock platform lifted him into the air. Beads of sweat rolled down his neck as he struggled to elevate himself. Then, in one swift move, he propelled the platform and himself into the side of the mountain.

The chase was on.

Kai jumped from ledge to ledge, desperately clinging on from ledge to ledge as he dodged rock after rock. He struggled to keep his mind keen, struggled to strategize the next move, and struggled to scale the behemoth. They were climbing higher and higher up the menacing mountain. Kai's heart beat faster with every second that passed, with every dynamite that tore the mountain internally, with every inch Chou was gaining on him, so fast that he feared his heart would cease to do so. However, he couldn't give up. Not when the lives of the townspeople and his friends—namely Jinora—were in danger.

At last, Kai reached a plateaued area. He clambered over the edge and tumbled across the ground. His muscles were taught from the climb, breath ragged in the thin hair, body desperate to cool off. Still, he forced himself up and surveyed his surroundings: the flat ledge must've been a hundred feet wide, most likely carved out by badger-moles ages ago. The earth 'rumbled!' as if it were warning Kai of the ominous fate lurking only minutes away, and the once bright afternoon sky seemed to turn a deep, dull gray.

Maybe I can—Kai's thoughts were cut-off by the savage cry of an animal.

He swerved around, only to find that it had been no animal: it was Chou. Chou was hurdling towards Kai through the air—only feet away—with his metal hooks ready to slice Kai's throat open. The air-bender's eyes bulged as his a voice in his head screamed at him to dodge; Kai did so, only missing the fatal hook by a mere millimeter. The missed move sent both the combatants tumbling on the floor, each desperately launching themselves upwards in hopes of getting a mere nanosecond ahead of the other. Chou threw boulder after boulder at Kai, who successfully evaded—until the twenty-something try, at which he was sent tumbling across the floor and Chou into action. However, Kai managed to recuperate just in time, and the two engaged in face-to-face combat for what seemed like an eternity, Chou swinging and Kai dodging hook after hook.

"You honestly think you can kill me?" Chou scoffed through his clenched teeth.

"I'm not trying to kill you," Kai clarified as he landed a blow on Chou's jaw, "I just wanna lock you up in a prison cell!"

"Well," Chou muttered as he recuperated from Kai's punch, "it's a shame I don't feel the same way!"

With that statement, Chou unleashed rock pillars from the ground, spiking upwards in an attempt to impale the teen. Kai propelled himself into the air just as Chou thrusted his arms upwards so that the spikes merely grazed Kai's feet. And in the brief moment that Chou was locked in his earth-bending position, Kai drew his fist back and launched an air-blast at his foe. Chou had not a moment to react before he was sent tumbling backwards, giving Kai enough time to escape the spiked region. Kai's heart pounded against his chest as he bended faster and faster than he ever did before—launching air-punch after air-swipe after air-kick, not letting Chou gain a second to recuperate and retaliate. As Chou lay incapacitated on the floor from the blows, Kai spread his feet apart and swirled his arms around his head, so fast that he feared his arms would dislocate themselves from their sockets, but he didn't care.

Soon, the wind began to pick up around Chou and circle faster and faster into a twister. However, by the time Chou realized what was occurring, it was too late. Chou found himself being whirled around and around, higher and higher into the sky. He had no notion of what direction he faced, nor could he see past the debris swirling in the miniature hurricane around him. All he was sure of in that short minute was when he his back struck the side of the mountain, sending pain up every disk on his spine and paralyzing him as he fell face forward onto the ground.

Kai approached an incapacitated Chou, his breath heavy from the energy-intensive, last-resort move.

"Ready to surrender?" Kai questioned, hoping they could end the conflict now and escape with their lives.

Chou lifted his head towards Kai and glared at the air-bender towering above him. He felt rage swirl inside him bigger than any storm nature could devise but was held back by his temporary paralysis. He shifted his fingers, feeling the earth underneath it. And unlike Kai, he could read the mountain. The low rumble, growing subtly louder and louder in a crescendo of pain, indicated one thing: the ledge was about to collapse. With that information in mind, Chou summoned his strength, stiffened his arm, and clamped his fingers into a fist.

Kai stared puzzled at the move, until he felt a rock encase his foot, trapping him and preventing him from flying off. Kai glanced at his trapped foot, then at Chou—smiling slyly. The next moment, Chou propelled himself off the ledge just as a 'boom!' was heard and the side of the mountain came sliding down.

Boulders came crashing downwards as a flurry of pebbles and debris enveloped the world around Kai. Chou had managed to grip onto a crevice, barely escaping the landslide that had trapped Kai. The air-bender struggled to see, for every time he opened his eyes, debris would force them shut. He felt panic pound into him like a tsunami, for he could do nothing to evade the boulders that came crashing by. And all he could think of and hear was the ominous warning and rumbling of the dying mountain.

Suddenly, he felt the wind knocked out of him as a blunt pain rammed into his abdomen. The landslide soon ebbed, and the dirt and debris pervading the air around him cleared, finally allowing Kai to breath. He shook his head and searched surroundings: he'd landed on a ledge, nearly a thousand feet above the earth. Kai painstakingly pushed himself upright, every part of his body aching from the battering. The mountain rumbled again, deeper and louder than before, as if to warn Kai that he had only minutes left before it would seal his demise and to urge him out of the vicinity if he was to escape unscathed. Kai nodded in understanding and moved into a lung position while spreading his wings out. In the distance on his right side, he could see the valley, the hills where Jinora was leading the townspeople to. If he left now, he could join them, escape, and never look back. However, just before he blasted off, something significant caught his eye.

On his left side, he could see the monster. He could see Chou, struggling to stay balanced on a rock platform and struggling to keep it suspended in the air. It became apparent that Kai wasn't the only one trying to escape.

Meanwhile…

The townspeople clambered up the two bison just outside of the the town. Opal and Lin had regained consciousness by now, and they helped squeeze every man, woman, and child into the saddles of the bison. Lefty had been fully loaded, with Yung and Daw steering. Tenzin held the reins of Oogi as Jinora helped load the remaining the townspeople onto the bison, although it was becoming apparent that there was not enough room to fit everyone.

This fact unsettled everyone, and soon Tenzin found himself wrangling with an understandably angry mob. However, JInora was not so preoccupied with the loading. She had not forgotten the promise Kai had made them, to join them as soon as he was finished with Chou. Yet as each second crawled by and each explosive went off inside the mountain, Jinora grew more worried that Kai's plan had gone amiss, that something terrible was about to happen.

She closed her eyes and reminisced in the memories they'd shared. A wave of joy and relief washed over her, and she was not about to let it be lost. Kai was out on the mountain as they spoke, out there protecting them, risking his life to do so. And Jinora saw no reason that he should have to be alone when facing his worst enemy, especially when she was still in debt to him. No, the mischievous yet kind-hearted boy she'd grown to like and maybe something more could not be ignored in this moment.

With that thought in mind, Jinora swerved around and raced towards the town.

"Jinora! What are you doing?" Tenzin called in concern.

"I'm going back for Kai! I'm not leaving him alone again." Jinora responded.

Panic washed over Tenzin as he saw his precious daughter race off into doom. He exchanged a glance with Lin, who urged him to pursue her. He nodded and hopped off the bison.

Meanwhile…

Kai felt once again torn between two roads. If he pursued Chou, then it could prolong the battle and shorten the time Kai had to escape and get out of range of the mountain. If he chose the path on the right, then he could rejoin the townspeople and the air-nation. He could go back to Air Temple Island, bury this tragic tale in the past, and never look back.

Only, there was a flaw in that optimistic plan: Chou would escape.

Chou would get away. Chou would go on to victimize more people. Chou would go on to plot his comeback. Chou would once again attempt to seek revenge. If Kai let Chou go, then he would be unleashing a monster on the rest of the world—Kai's monster. And Kai, like he had been for the past two years, would once again run away from his past, which would only come back to haunt him later, to prevent him from truly turning over a new leaf.

Kai sighed. However, he was more determined than ever to end the atrocity, to end the suffering of both the townspeople and Chou. With that notion in mind, Kai changed his trajectory and in one powerful gust, launched himself off of the ledge and towards Chou.

Chou was scrambling to stay balanced on the rock platform like an elephant-rat. He cursed at himself for letting his plan fail, but that didn't matter now. All that mattered was that he escape. He didn't care if he heard their dying wails; he never did. He didn't care if his own followers would be trapped with them; he never did. Chou just wanted to escape, to live, to get out of harm's way—to avoid his own fate that he secretly knew he had sealed with his heinous actions. However, he would never admit them. He'd rather flee to the ends of the earth. All he had to do now was to earth-bend the platform away from the mountain.

However, Chou didn't have the opportunity before he felt the platform tip over, tossing him over plummeting to the ground. And in that moment he was free falling, he turned up and saw Kai, whom the faint sunlight seemed to shine on despite the gray conditions, whose wings were spread apart, making him look like a majestic falcon. As Kai moved to catch Chou, Chou knew it could only mean one thing: he'd lost. Chou was not willing to let Kai win, and in that moment, he felt anger surge throughout his body more violent than ever before—Chou in a desperate attempt raised his metal hook and thrashed it towards an encroaching Kai.

Both heard the 'rip' of the wing-suit.

Suddenly, Kai's once controlled position was sent spiraling downwards. He twisted left and right, punched air-blasts in all directions, but nothing could regain the control he'd lost on the suit. The wind bombarded his face, forcing his eyes shut. His heart pounded and mind raced—until he felt a blunt pain ram into his ribcage and the wind cease.

Kai trembled but at last recuperated enough to survey his surroundings. He had once again landed on a ledge of the mountain, which now was roaring louder and louder, admonishing Kai for returning to it. However, Kai wasn't alone on this ledge.

Chou had lost one hook during the descent, and he now hung shakily by his remaining one. He glanced down at his doom and up at Kai. Beads of sweat ran down his neck as he stared into the eyes of the falcon. It was only now, at the mercy of the mountain and Kai, that Chou realized what he had done: he'd killed them all. In his petty moment of rage, he'd destroyed any chance of the both of them escaping this mountain alive. With the realization in mind, his pupils dilated and throat became dry, as Kai stared down at him from above.

Kai had done all he could to to save Chou, or whatever was left of him. However, now could Kai see that there truly was nothing left of Chou to save. The innocent, sweet boy Kai had known was gone. Party of Kai's own doing, but mostly of the monster's—which was all that Kai saw before him, a monster. Staring into Chou's eyes, he could see nothing but a deep, dark hollowness. No soul, no contrite, no nothing. Chou was just a being consumed by anger, hatred, and a desperateness to escape the truth.

Kai had never seen a more pitiful or miserable being.

With this realization, Kai sighed, releasing the last of the contrite that had been weighing him down and releasing the last of the hope he had for Chou. He leaned forward and whispered, "Good bye, brother."

Chou's eyes widened in fear. With that, Kai grabbed Chou's life line and in one mighty thrust, let the hook and the thing attached to it fall to its fate—putting the monster out of its misery. Just before the mountain released its last ominous warning and Kai awaited his own death.

The mountain exploded. It's innards splattered outwards, enveloping the surrounding area with a storm of dust and rock.

**So how was it? Please let me know in the reviews. I'm really sorry to leave everyone on a cliffhanger. I'm not doing it to taunt people. It's just cuz I'm super busy and dont' have enough time to write more today. Nevertheless, I promise to finish this story and have a happy ending with Kainorra cuteness. I'm planning two more chapters of conclusion and maybe a short epilogue afterwards. I'll try to upload sometime soon. Until then, peace!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Hello all! Our awaited resolution to this plot is finally here! I hope it's enjoyable and that it ties up the knots the season 4 of the show didn't. With that said, onto the story!**

Lin watched in horror as the behemoth avalanche rolled towards them.

Tenzin and Jinora stopped dead in their tracks, frozen in horror, as a desperate cry escaped Jinora's mouth, "KAI! NOOOO!" Tenzin pulled his distraught daughter into his arms, and the two retreated towards the bison and townspeople.

Sobs and screams pervaded the air around them, the townspeople turning towards their loved ones, saying their final farewells. Opal turned towards her aunt; Lin would not let them die. The police chief jumped off the bison and in one mighty move, summoned a solid rock tent around the airbenders and townspeople.

She felt the behemoth hammer against the wall, nearly knocking her off her feet. Beads of sweat ran down her neck as she struggled to fend it off, but she was stood firm like a boulder. There was no trying to quell the beast; all she could do was hold the shield tight until the storm passed. It seemed like an infinity before the earth's cries rippled throughout her body.

At last, they receded, and died. The avalanche was over. Exhausted, Li let the wall down before falling back to the ground on her rear as Opal rushed to her aunt's side.

The airbenders and townspeople stood in shock. Everything was different. Where the mountain had been remained a clean slate, a clean slate that, although currently barren, could be built upon. The silence along with everyone's thoughts about what could be done with this "new" land were interrupted by a mournful cry.

"Kai!" Jinora shouted as she shoved her way through the crowd.

Tenzin, highly attuned to the sound of his daughter in distress, jerked his head around. He saw her sprinting off and led the airbenders and townspeople to follow her.

Tenzin knew how much Kai had meant to his daughter, and he knew she would never get over his death. Tenzin prayed that the boy would be alright. He may have been weary of Kai, but he certainly didn't want Kai gone, not like this, not in any way. Tenzin knew Kai was a hero, and he hoped with all his will that would not be forgotten.

By the time the others had caught up with Jinora, she had already found Kai. The boy lay in the center of a circle that was surprisingly clear—no rubble, no rocks, no nothing on it. For a second, it looked as if were a halo. Jinora had knelt down, placing on hand on Kai's chest and the other underneath his head. Tears streamed down her face; she admonished herself for being too late. She felt a pang in her chest, worst than any other she'd suffered before and worst than the day she witnessed Kai shot by P'Li.

"I-I can't hear a heartbeat!" Jinora yelled as she pressed her ear against his chest.

This isn't possible, she thought to herself. However, Jinora wasn't just referring to the fact Kai was nearly impossible to "get rid of," but rather, she was also referring to his body. She ran her hands up and down his body but couldn't find anything: no bruises, no broken bones, no blood. Kai was—strangely—unscathed.

Meanwhile…

_Kai had no idea where he was. The world around him was nothing like the town. There was nothing around him, as in, nothing. Kai seemed to levitate in a seemingly empty space, as if it were another dimension, another world. _

_Kai tried to move his legs, only to find he couldn't feel them. He looked downwards only to find more questions than answers. His legs were there, but his suit was not grey, yellow, and red. It glowed a faint gold; in fact, all of Kai glowed a faint gold. He held his hand in front of him, only to find that it was nearly transparent against the bluish background of space._

_Where am I? Kai thought to himself._

_All he could remember was putting Chou out of his misery, falling from the sky and…something else. Yes, he didn't just plummet to the ground and die. Something else happened before that, something he couldn't comprehend. _

_As he fell from the sky, desperately air-blasting rock after rock, something appeared. Kai recollected falling with his back towards the ground, and an enormous boulder crashing into him. However, just before the boulder made contact and crushed his every bone, something jumped in between them. It was a bright and brief flash of colors, colors Kai'd never seen before and colors that just didn't match the landscape around him. He contemplated more on what it could've been, but his thoughts were interrupted by a blinding flash in front of him._

_When he opened his eyes he saw a man and woman standing before him, glowing a light purple. The man sported a tattered business suit, and the woman dawned an elegant and ornate dress. The couple looked eerily familiar; they stared at Kai, their eyes searching Kai with a hint of caution and a hint of coldness. It took Kai rummaging through the deepest bowels of his memories before he finally dug up who they were. _

_The couple turned away, refusing to meet Kai in the eye. They weren't Kai's biologic parents, for Kai had no memory of them. They were his adoptive parents—Chou's parents. Yes, it was the loving father and mother whom Kai had scammed and who had been murdered ruthlessly on the streets._

_With that sudden realization, Kai began to ponder their location. Was it was possible they were both in some realm of the spirit world? However, Kai's hypothesizing was cut-short when a third flash appeared before them._

_On both Kai and the parents' side was him: Chou. _

_Chou's eyes were closed, limbs numb, and mouth gaping open. Chou's husk of a body had no glow, for it was a deep, tar-like black. He was dead—both in the physical and the spirit world. Unlike his parents, there was no conscious and no spirit left to save._

_The three stared at the body, all with a mixture of remorse and pity. The sight was so abject and so wrenching that even his parents—the ones who'd raised the sweet, innocent boy—had to turn away in disgust and fear. Almost as quickly as it had appeared, Chou's body vanished, first into small wisps of black and then into nothing at all._

_Kai sighed and turned back to the parents. They still looked downwards, refusing to look into the eyes of the boy, the thief, the criminal—yet Kai did not relent. He wanted to turn away, but he knew this was his only chance to ever see them again, to show them how sorry he was for everything. So he did. Kai stared at the couple, hoping, praying they'd do the same, for it was only if they looked into Kai that they could truly pass their final judgement._

_At last, the mother peeked her head from her husband's chest, and glanced at Kai. However, her glance became a stare, stare that searched the soul of the boy before her. Soon, the father joined in the evaluation as well._

_Kai felt apprehension overrun him as they did, but he refused to give into it. He would not run away from his past again. _

_After what seemed like an eternity of judgement, it ended. The couple smiled faintly and bowed, as if to say they were proud, proud to have Kai as a son._

_Kai felt a warm wave relief and elation wash over him as it did, and not a second passed before he bowed back down to them. When both parties arose, the parents nodded at Kai before fading into the background. Kai was left alone in the space, but at last, he felt at peace._

_He could've reveled in this moment forever had a voice not summoned him back._

"Kai! No…" Jinora trailed off.

The crowd watched her last attempt to resuscitate the fallen hero, struggling to hold back tears as they did. Even the former Dai Li agent lowered his cap in respect for the lost life. However, no one took it as hard as Jinora did.

She pressed her forehead against Kai's, her arrow right against where his would've been, could he have lived to receive them. Jinora tried to feel the last of his fading warmth; after all, she'd never be able to feel it again. She reminisced in their memories together, those images transforming into jewels in her mind. As she prepared to say her farewells, she felt his body suddenly contract. She jumped. What could it have been?

A breath.

Jinora shook her head in disbelief then looked towards Kai's chiseled face. There was a slight twitch under his eye, followed by a deeper breath, and then a cough.

In that moment, everyone but him was breathless.

Jinora questioned if she was delusional. She placed a hand on his cheek, gently nudging him awake. In the distance, Tenzin prayed that his daughter's mystical abilities would bring the young man back.

Kai's eyes fluttered open. Neither Jinora nor Kai had looked so beautiful to either of them than in that moment. Jinora felt a wave of relief and utter elation wash over her. The two grinned at each other before Kai broke the silence.

"Jinora?" He murmured weakly.

"Kai," She whispered in awe.

"Please, come closer. I have to ask you something." Kai muttered.

"Yeah, what is it?" Jinora asked.

"Will you go on a date with me now?" Kai asked with a slight smile.

"Ha!" Jinora laughed as she helped Kai sit up.

Her heart nearly burst out of her chest, and soon, the feelings had infected everyone around them. Cheers were elicited from the townspeople. Even Tenzin, who'd rushed up to the two, pulled Kai into a hug, much to the young man's surprise. However, after the old master relinquished Kai, the two teens embraced each other tightly. The two dug into each other's faces and necks, just happy to feel the warmth of each other's bodies.

"I can't believe you're alive," Jinora murmured.

"I'm more than that; I'm okay now. I'm finally okay." Kai whispered as tears of joy rolled down his cheek.

The two parted and smiled at each other. They could've stared into each other's eyes for infinity if Jinora hadn't sensed something—something inhuman—watching them. A shiver was sent up Jinora's spine. When Kai questioned her what was wrong, she merely pointed in to her left. The eyes of Kai and soon the entire crowd soon followed.

"You can stop hiding now," Jinora called out to the distance.

There was nothing there. Confusion crawled over everyone's faces, everyone except Jinora. Soon, a horde of vividly colored spirits in all shapes and sizes appeared before them. The crowd gasped in awe; it had been years since spirits were last spotted. Kai, however, wasn't so speechless, for he had one question on his mind.

"Spirits…D-did you save me from the explosion?" Kai asked respectfully.

The spirits chattered something inaudible to everyone except Jinora, whom Kai had turned towards for translation. She smiled and in a raised voice relayed their messages.

"Yes…We saved you." Jinora spoke on behalf of the spirits.

"But why?" Kai asked.

"We abandoned this area long ago because all we saw was senseless fighting and conflict—especially when _he_ came along. We lost hope for this town. But, then you appeared. And we sensed something change in the dynamics of this town. We watched you and saw what you were doing."

"Did you see my outburst, uh, attack the first day?" Kai asked nervously.

"Yes, we did…You've made many mistakes in the past. You've harmed the ones that care about you. You've lived a life of crime. You've undoubtedly created some bad in this world…But, you changed. You tried to do good and right your wrongs. You were willing to sacrifice your life for the ones you love and those you do't even know. You've displayed a maturity, a wisdom, and a courage beyond your years. In doing so, you have rid this world of your mistakes and come to terms with your past…Nothing is more hopeful to us than that…In you, we saw something honorable, something different, something worth saving."

"Just like the story of Avatar Wan," Kai whispered as he turned towards a beaming Jinora.

"Yes, Kai. Just like Avatar Wan."

Kai smiled and thanked the spirits, who nodded in response before fading into the background. Soon, Jinora helped Kai to his feet, just as the former Dai Li officer approached them. Kai briefly raised his guard but soon let it down upon seeing the officer's face. Something was different.

"On behalf of this entire town, I'd like to say 'sorry.' About everything."

Afterwards, the Dai Li agent bowed before Kai. The young man's eyes bulged, and he felt a mixture of shock and joy surge through him as the rest of the crowd did the same. Never had Kai felt so respected, so proud, so—happy, both with the town and himself. He soon caught Tenzin approaching them in the corner of his eye. The old master bowed and whispered, "I'm very proud of you, Kai."

Kai and Jinora smiled, and soon, the crowd fell quiet. The silence, however, didn't last long. At last, Daw mustered the courage to break it and ask one crucial question, "So now what?"

"Now," answered a recovered Lin, "we call reinforcements and help rebuilt this town and its railroad—give it a new birth."

The townspeople cheered, assured that they would not be abandoned and would finally be lifted out of their plight. Kai and Jinora chuckled at the sight before staring into each other's eyes once again.

"Well, guess it's all over," Kai half-joked.

"Yeah, I guess so," Jinora whispered, lost in his emerald eyes.

Tenzin and the Dai Li agent glanced at each other, feeling more than awkward standing before the teens, but before Tenzin could address the two, Opal furtively slid into the scene and dragged the two men away silently. She had other plans for Kai and Jinora.

Jinora thought about the boy, no, young man, she had almost lost. Her best friend, her partner in action—her something more. Kai reflected on how much an influence the stunning young master had over him, how much she's helped him, how much he's changed for the better because of her—for her. Now, he finally felt ready, finally felt worthy of her. The two instinctively reached for each other's hands, savoring the warmth from them. Not sure what was compelling them to do so, they dipped their heads forwards, towards each other. Their eyes began to close slowly. And then, not caring who was watching, the two seal the distance between their lips.

In that instant, coos and cheers escaped the crowd. Yung and Opal eyed each before simultaneously saying, "It's about time." Lin, who had never been a fan of romances, couldn't help but feel her curiosity piqued at Tenzin's surprised face. She approached her former lover, albeit a bit awkwardly.

"You okay?" She asked casually.

"You know what," Tenzin began in a bittersweet tone, "I'm actually just fine."

Lin chuckled despite herself, and the two watched Kai and Jinora relish their special moment before pulling apart. When the teens did, Tenzin thoroughly enjoyed the blush that came over this faces when they faced the crowd. Tenzin, knowing the two would have to face him eventually, strolled up to them. He glared at Kai for a moment before nudging him jokingly in the shoulder and embracing his grown-up girl.

"You two know the rules?" He asked.

"Yes, sir." They answered simultaneously, causing them to blush once more.

Tenzin smiled and motioned for them to follow him back to the camp.

**YES! Kai and Jinora kiss, thus, marking the official start of their relationship xD I hope that sets up for season 4 relatively well. I plan on doing one more chapter just to reveal what happens afterwards and maybe an epilogue. What's to come will definitely be VERY full of Kainorra cuteness! I'll try to get those up when I can. But in the meantime, lemme know how y'all feel about the story. Reviews are awesome. **


	20. Chapter 20

**Hello everyone! So I know I've continuously said I'm busy, but I soon discovered that until I finish this story, I won't be able to do any actual work. Witht that said, I present this Kainorra-filled chapter!**

The moon glistened in the beautiful midnight blue sky. Spirits appeared here and there, their glowing silhouettes renewing hope in everyone that spotted them. The wind billowed by as if it were wishing every resident a good night.

They had spent the entire day constructing makeshift shelter with and for the townspeople. Bumi and a few Republic city officers, including Mako, had arrived less than an hour ago with food, building materials, and construction tools. At dawn the next morning, they would begin reconstruction, rebirth of the town. After learning about their leader's demise, Chou's former-minions turned themselves in. Many of the rag-clad boys and girls were relieved to be free of the tyrant Chou—who had never valued them anyways—and eager to help rebuild what they had destroyed. The townspeople, whose attitude appeared to have shifted dramatically from untrusting to welcoming, were more than happy to accept the children's offer and to include them in the reconstruction process.

Kai lay stretched out on Lefty's saddle, exhausted from the day behind him and ready to slip into sleep. The gentle beast growled in enthusiasm, elated to be reunited with its master. Kai chuckled at the giant's show of affection. It had only been a few hours since the fateful battle with Chou, yet it years seemed to have gone by. He felt so different, different in a good way; he was more at peace with himself than ever before. Nothing could've made Kai happier than that.

Except one thing: Jinora.

Kai heard a **_'whoosh'_** and jerked his head up, pleasantly surprised to find the air-bending master climbing onto the saddle and crawling towards him.

"Mind if I join you?" Jinora asked jokingly.

"I wouldn't mind one bit," Kai replied.

He moved to his left, allowing Jinora enough space to lay beside him—which she happily did. The two turned to face each other, cherishing the intimacy they had previously only dreamed of.

Jinora felt her heartbeat slow as she stared into those beautiful emerald eyes, grateful she still had them to get lost in. She thought about everything they had been through together—from the Earth Queen to Zaheer to her master ceremony to today. The memory of the night she'd declined his date manifested itself in the front of her mind; she chastised herself for her silliness back then.

The two had grown so much in so little time. Back then, Jinora had rejected him on the basis it would interfere with her duties to the air-nation, but if was just as Opal said. There was no need to chose between the air-nation and Kai, for he was part of it. Now, the both of them knew it. Furthermore, both Kai and Jinora learned that there was no escaping fate. For Kai, that fate was realizing his past was something to be confronted and resolved. For Jinora, that fate was realizing there was no real wall separating her from being with Kai—except that of her own mistaken mind—and there was no denying the feelings she held for them, the feelings they shared for each other, the feelings they knew existed from the very first day they met years ago.

Kai, who still needed proof that this moment wasn't part of a dream, raised his hand and placed it on Jinora's forehead. He began to gently trace the mark of the master, and upon feeling flesh, smiled in a mix of relief and elation. He then felt Jinora's hand run through his ruffled hair, down the shaven sides of his head, and finally rest on his cheek. Kai wrapped his own hand over hers, interlocked their fingers, and pressed her hand against his flushed cheek, cherishing the warmth of it.

"I really missed you," he admitted softly.

"Me too. I was afraid I'd lost you." Jinora replied.

"I promise I won't leave you like that…Besides, don't you know it takes more than an exploding mountain to get rid of me?" Kai responded half-jokingly.

Jinora chuckled and snuggled closer to him, digging her face into his neck and savoring the warmth of his body. Kai wrapped his arm around waist and pulled her in closer, as if he was trying to prevent an invisible enemy from snatching her away. Mustering the courage to do so, Kai stretched his neck and gently planted a kiss on her forehead, on her arrow. However, as he pulled his head back down, he felt Jinora's lips brush against his own—almost halting his heartbeat. After the surprise passed, Kai kissed her back harder, neither of them wanting this moment to end. When the moment finally passed, they pressed their foreheads together and whispered "good night" to each other.

Soon the couple drifted off into sleep, reassured that they had brought peace, stability and spirituality back to this town, reassured that they had and would always have each other, and reassured that Kai had finally, fully, truly—turned over a new leaf.

**Hope that was fluffy enough! Tbh Kainorra was seriously half the reason I loved season 3 of LOK so much. So this is technically the "last chapter" of the story, but I am going to add an epilogue. Please review and lemme know how it was. **


	21. Epilogue

**So this is the epilogue which is officially, finally conclude this story! I hope it ties up the knots about Kai and Jinora season 4 didn't quite do. With that, onto the epilogue!**

Jinora sat at one of the hundreds of silk-linen dining tables at Varrick and Zhu Lee's wedding. On the dance floor, she could see Ikki trying to persuade an always-reluctant Huang to dance and Prince Wu busting his moves in an attempt to impress by-standing ladies. She chuckled at the inauspicious attempt; however, her thoughts weren't preoccupied by that.

Jinora rubbed her temples and closed her eyes. It all seemed to fly by so fast. Only a couple months ago, everyone (minus the Beifongs) were so sure that Kuvira would be the Earth Kingdom's savior; then, only a couple weeks ago, the world labeled her as a dangerous dictator; then, only a couple hours ago, Korra had led the fallen metal-bender out of the newly-formed spirit portal and into the handcuffs of Chief Lin Beifong; now, everyone seemed to have all but forgotten about that and rather was caught up in the party. As Jinora relived the turbulent events in her mind, her thoughts were interrupted by a tap on her shoulder. She opened one eye to find what any girlfriend would've deemed a pleasant surprise.

"Kai!" Jinora exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around the young man.

He hugged her back and took a seat next to her. They hadn't seen each other since Kuvira's invasion of Republic City, and before that, they'd hardly spent anytime together due to divided duties. Despite this, their one-year-long relationship still held strong, and the two savored their moment of togetherness (in which the world wasn't on the brink of collapse) for the first time in what seemed like forever. The two grinned at each other before Kai's expression seemed to dim a bit into one of concern.

"Are you okay? I heard you got knocked unconscious earlier." Kai asked.

"I'm fine. What about you? I heard you got blasted by the spirit vine cannon and crashed onto a building." Jinora replied.

"I'm okay. But to be clear, it was Ryu that flew too close to the cannon and got blasted. He knocked me out of the sky. You know, I'm not sure whether to be happy you care or offended that you'd think I would make such a Ryu type of mistake." Kai joked.

Jinora chuckled before punching him playfully in the shoulder. Good thing he's still got his sense of humor, Jinora thought to herself. Kai flashed a slight grin that disappeared as quickly as it came. Jinora, who could read Kai like a book, could tell there was something in this chapter he had a hard time comprehending.

"What's wrong?" Jinora asked supportively.

"Opal told me Kuvira was an orphan. Did you know about that?" Kai asked.

"No," Jinora responded as she realized Kai was reflecting on his own past, "not until just now."

"Figures. I guess that's not something the Beifongs or her like to talk about, huh?" Kai speculated.

"Probably…You thinking about your past? About…Chou?" Jinora asked, shivering at the sound of the name no one had mentioned in over a year.

"Yeah, it's a little hard not to since Kuvira, who's been like the biggest thing in the news, was one too…Korra told me that's why she did what she did: she never got over her past—her one weakness—and then tried to take her built-up anger out on everyone else. Kinda reminds me of somebody I used to know." Kai explained.

"Yeah, I get what ya mean," Jinora responded quietly.

"I wonder if I could've turned into her. We were both kicked to the streets and were both taken in by awesome families. But she tried to wreck the world, maybe unintentionally." Kai pondered out loud.

"But the important thing is that you won't. Because you've faced your past and moved forward. You've turned over a new leaf." Jinora reassured him.

"Don't worry, I know that…Maybe Kuvira can do the same thing. After all, she did apologize. Maybe it's not too late for her; maybe she hasn't turned into a real monster, into a Chou." Kai replied in a hopeful tone.

Jinora smiled. She was proud in the progress Kai had made, proud in his newfound maturity, and proud in his optimism which was so vital in a world constantly being pushed to the brink of collapse. They'd been through much together over the years, and they'd grown much together and because of each other's influence. There was no doubt there would be more turmoil to come and more growing to do. However, after months of constant stress and nonstop master duties, Jinora was ready to take a brief break, even if it was going to be for a couple hours. After all, everyone needs balance.

With that thought in mind, Jinora pushed herself from the dining table and stood up. She held out her hand, much to Kai's confusion.

"Uh, what are you doing?" Kai asked.

"Asking you to dance. Come one, before the next world catastrophe strikes, I wanna spend some quality time with my amazing boyfriend. Now, let's go!" Jinora urged.

Kai raised his eyebrows and smiled, gladly accepting the offer. He placed his hand into hers, stood up, and planted a kiss on her cheek.

With that, the two made off to the dance floor, happy that unlike most long-term, long-distance relationships, their's was "doing just fine."

**The End. Woo! The "doing just fine" is a reference to episode 1 of season 4, in case that wasn't clear. Anyways, I really hope you guys enjoyed this story and all its complex themes, complex characters, character development, and KAINORRA FLUFF. The follows, favorites, and reviews have really been encouraging, especially since it's my first fanfic. So I wanna thank everyone who's done so along with anyone who's just read this story. Idk if I'll do anything else with LOK specifically, but I'll probably write more stories (for various shows/movies) in the future. So, please lemme know your thoughts about this story. And until next time, peace!**


End file.
